40 Is the New 20
by JAGWriter09
Summary: Newly divorced, Brittany tries to get back into the working world of publishing but when she's met with the harsh reality that she and her past experiences are outdated and now overtaken by millennials, will she take the necessary measures to get a job?
1. What's My Age Again?

**This story is based on the show Younger (if you haven't seen it, I recommend it!) I don't own Glee or Younger. This story is a work in progress and I will update as frequently as I can! Don't forget to follow and review :P**

**Follow along on tumblr too (jagwriter09). Might be posting some previews here and there!**

**Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER 1**

**WHAT'S MY AGE AGAIN?**

_Brittany's POV_

Divorced.

It was official, signed and filed and just like that almost eighteen years of marriage was over. I can't say that I was disappointed, no, instead it was a sense of relief. Yeah, that's what it was, relief. Relief that I was no longer stuck in a marriage that if I was being honest, was dead years ago, a marriage where I was continuously lied to. Aaron wasn't a bad guy, he didn't cheat on me and I never cheated on him, he just never grew up to be the man I thought he could be, gambling away our money any chance he had, lying about jobs saying he was working when in reality, he wasn't. My friends only knew so much about my life with Aaron but it wouldn't have changed anything, I wouldn't have divorced him any earlier. I _did _have our daughter to think about. But when I found out all our savings had been cleared, I had had enough.

"Hey, baby. How's orientation?" I asked my daughter immediately after answering the phone glad to hear her voice.

"It's good. But I wanted to check up on you, Mom. I know you were meeting with the lawyers today."

"I'm good, honey. Don't worry about me."

"Not possible," my sweet girl chuckled through the phone. I missed her so much already. "I just feel so bad that this is all happening when I move halfway across the country for school. You know, it's not too late? I can still go to UCLA and be close to home."

"No way, Sam. Not happening," I told her sternly.

"But, Mom I-"

"Nope!" I cut her off before she could continue to even entertain that idea any further. "Sam, you are going to NYU like we planned. Don't worry about me. I'm already looking for a job and I have Rachel."

Rachel Berry. My best friend since elementary school. Growing up only a couple houses away, we were inseparable through middle school, high school and even college, both of us moving to Los Angeles, with Rachel at USC and UCLA for me. All our dreams were coming true, she was studying to be an actor and I was going to be this great writer. Coming from a small town, we both had big dreams and when we both got into great colleges in the great city of Los Angeles, our dreams were starting to become a reality.

"Did you need me to ship anything to you? I'm sending most of your stuff to storage this week now that the house is officially on the market. The realtor thinks it'll sell fast."

"I think I have everything I need," she told me when I heard someone through the line call my daughters name. "Mom, I gotta go. I love you."

"Love you, too. Call me later!"

My big girl. It was crazy to see how fast time flew. It felt just like yesterday the nurses handed me my baby girl, placing her in my arms. My whole world changed when I became a parent at such a young age, twenty to be exact. She wasn't exactly _planned _and the day I found out I was pregnant was one of the scariest moments of my young life. I had just started my third year of college a bright future ahead of me when one slip up changed all that. Aaron and I met our first year at UCLA at a party that Rachel dragged me to, which was odd since she wasn't even a student there. We hit it off right away and started dating soon after that. He was a handsome young man and I was smitten. He was my first _real _relationship, second if you count the dysfunctional relationship I had in high school with my on and off girlfriend, Mia. Aaron being the dutiful boyfriend he was, proposed immediately after I told him we were going to have a baby. Oddly enough, he didn't run away at the news, in fact, he was the one who calmed my nerves and my doubts, my doubts about becoming young parents while still in school. And although our marriage ended in divorce, I will never be more grateful for him for giving me my girl, my whole world. It's a strange feeling, being divorced. I don't feel any different, almost like just another day for Brittany Davis, no _Pierce, _I thought to correct myself_. _

It was a gorgeous August summer day in LA as I drove down the streets of downtown, windows down, the wind blowing in my hair. For once, I felt free. My daughter was in New York settling in and although the ink of my divorce was still wet, it was over. It was just me, myself and I. Free.

My aimless driving ended as I found myself parked outside the building I've driven to so many times in the past. After college, Rachel pursued her lifelong dream of becoming a Broadway star, and the girl was talented. She had no trouble at all getting the main role after just two auditions. That's how talented she was, born to be on stage. She knew it, I knew it and apparently, everyone else that crossed her path knew it. You could say she was your typical Broadway diva but she was my best friend and had always been there for me through everything, her diva antics not bothering me as much.

She was able to earn good money as she worked as an active actress, traveling the world, performing night after night on some of the biggest shows over the past fifteen years only just recently slowing down and settling permanently in LA. Her building was one of the fancier ones in the area and filled with those 'artsy" types as my best friend loved to put it. I just referred to it as 'Rachel's Rich Bachelorette Pad'. What most didn't know about her was that she was a flirt, I'm sure some of her co-stars knew or grew to find out, Rachel inevitably hitting on some hot new rising star or another. Both of us at 38 years-old had lived two very different lifestyles; me married and divorced with an eighteen-year-old and Rachel, well single and still _very much _playing the field, and loving it.

Once my car was parked safely in the structure, I made my way to the elevator, clicking the penthouse button to get to Rachel's floor. I tapped my fist against the door simultaneously ringing the doorbell wondering what was taking Rachel so long to answer the door but not to my surprise, it flew open as I watched a rather uncomfortable but not rare scene play out in front of me. Standing in nothing but an oversized white button up shirt was my best friend as she smiled sensually at her newest conquest, kissing them on their cheek before seeing them off. I rolled my eyes at the exchange, the poor girl not knowing what she was getting herself into. I almost felt bad for all the girls Rachel would bring home after flirting her way into their pants but then again it's not like Rachel treated them badly, in fact, I've always seen her take care of these girls so I guess it wasn't such a bad situation.

"I'll call you," she told the nameless girl and waived a small waive her eyes glued to what I assumed was the girl's backside before watching her disappear into the elevator. "So, what do you think? Cute, right?" She asked me slipping back inside and closing the door behind us.

"Not my type. Where'd you find this one?" I asked making myself comfortable in her open loft.

"At my yoga studio," she said but I get distracted by the bottle of wine and two glasses in her hand.

"Isn't it a little early for wine?" I questioned when I'm met with a knowing smirk.

"I just had amazing sex, you're freshly divorced, I'd say we _both _have something to celebrate," she answered cheekily and handed me a glass. _What the hell, I have nowhere to be, _I thought to myself and accepted the glass.

"At least one of us is getting some," I joked before taking a sip of her unnecessarily expensive wine. I guess that was the perk of having a rich best friend, indulging in things I wouldn't otherwise ever think to buy myself.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. So, tell me, how was the ass hat?"

"Hey, he might be my ex-husband now but he's not an _ass hat," _I defended_. _"Sure, he gambled away all of our money and lied to me for god knows how long, but he's still the father of my child."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I'm just so pissed at him for being so dumb. How is my favorite goddaughter, by the way?"

"First of all, she's your _only _goddaughter. And she's good, she's happy in New York. I just want her to enjoy this time. College is an awesome experience and the last thing I want is her missing out on anything because she's worried about her mom, you know?"

"That's Sam, always worrying. Kind of like someone _else _I know," she said with a quirked eyebrow. "I'm sure she'll be fine but if it'll make you feel better, I'll talk to her, you know since I'm the cool aunt and all."

"Totally," I said rolling my eyes at her. "So, what's new with you? Besides your 'amazing sex'."

"Same shit, different day in the life of an ex-star," she spouted with her usual dramatics. Once a Broadway star _always _a Broadway star. "By the way, I cleared out my guest bedroom for you. I know you're trying to sell the house. I want you to stay with me until you get back up on your feet."

"You don't have to do that, Rach. I'm already looking for an apartment. Not that would do anything if I _did _find something, I can't really afford rent in LA until I find a job," I told her.

"Yeah, how's the job hunt going?"

"Not good. Every single interview I've been shoved out the door faster than I could imagine. I haven't been out of the game _that_ long but have things really changed that much?"

"What do you mean? You were one of the top editors. They'd have to be fucking crazy not to hire you with your resume."

"Well, then I guess they're fucking crazy. It's insane, Rach. It's like everything I knew doesn't exist anymore. It's all about social media and this advanced technology that I know nothing about. And they won't hire me as an assistant at my age."

After college, I was lucky enough to find a job in the editing world. Sure, I started from the bottom, but I learned quickly and I was damn good at my job. Within five years, I was one of the top editors, making great money. But then I started working later and later finding myself at the office past Sam's bedtime. This started to take a toll not only on me but my child and on my marriage. Without any complaints from Aaron, I made the decision to stop working altogether with the silent promise to myself that I would edit projects on the side but life has a way of filling up empty space and next thing I knew, my days were filled with shuffling Sam to soccer practice, or piano lessons, volunteering on the school board and that left no time for any type of editing I had once dreamt of doing.

"Don't say that. You're not old and plus, why not start at the bottom?"

"No, Rach you don't understand. They literally won't hire me as an assistant. I'm going against these young twenty-year-olds fresh out of college who are on the facebook or the tweet thing."

"The tweet thing? Don't you listen to your daughter when she speaks? It's twitter, for your information and I'm sure a job will pop up. But like I said, you can stay here as long as you need. And I promise to keep the sex to a minimum," she smirked. "Let's go out tonight."

"Out? Like to dinner?"

"No, out. Like to a bar. You're single, I'm single. That hasn't happened since college. Go home, put something sexy on and meet me back here," she demanded practically pushing me out her front door.

/

_What does one wear to a bar, _I thought to myself as my eyes shifted back and forth between different outfits laid out on my bed. "Casual but sexy," I repeated Rachels words to myself. "How hard can that be? Just pick an outfit, Britt," I continued to talk to myself. Picking an outfit was all that was left, my hair and makeup were already done not that it took long, I wasn't one for a lot of make-up and my hair usually cooperated with me, leaving it down and wavy. "This is ridiculous. It's just Rachel and it's just a bar. Just a drink. Pick an outfit!" I scolded myself and grabbed the pair of black jeans off the bed and slipped into them. I decided to pair it with a simple loose fitted shirt that hung on my shoulders nicely taking a look in the mirror at the final product. "Not bad, Britt," I winked to myself before grabbing my purse and heeled boots.

"What took you so long?" Rachel yelled before even greeting me.

"Calm down. You know my house is in Pasadena, right? And the LA traffic is ridiculous. Aren't we just going to a bar? It's not like we have reservations or something," I snapped back not interested in her diva-ness.

"Whatever. Drink first?" She asked already pouring vodka into two glasses without waiting for an answer from me.

"Sure," I said even though it wouldn't have mattered, she was still going to pour the drinks. This was going to be an interesting night. I was never a big drinker, sure there were those first two years in college but after that, the drinking stopped, I was pregnant after all and was now responsible for another life.

"You're babysitting, Britt," I heard her voice and shot her confused look.

"Huh?"

"Your drink, you've barely touched it. Loosen up a bit."

"Oh," I huffed rolling my eyes before grabbing the glass knocking back the entire drink in one gulp. "Happy?"

"Very," she smirked. "Now we can go."

We ended up walking since the bar was only a few blocks away from her place. It was nice to get fresh air on the walk over. I loved LA summer nights, they were a lot different than summers in Lima even though it had been so long since I lived there. I never got the chance to walk where I lived, Pasadena more of a suburban area but I liked this. The streets were lively, people walking everywhere, some to dinner, some home and some just because. It reminded me of New York, without the cold winters. Cold to native Californians was nothing compared to cold in Ohio or even New York. My poor baby was going to have a hard time come winter.

"Why do I feel like we're the oldest ones in here?" I whispered to Rachel the second we walked in. It was full of people, young people to be exact, way younger than either one of us.

"Shh," She hushed me immediately before turning around and dragging me through the crowded bar toward an open table. "It's cute here, right?"

"Um, yeah," I said scanning my surroundings. "Cute." It was a cool place. It felt like it had been years since I had been to a bar and with the number of people around, it almost felt like it did back in college. It was funny because it wasn't like I didn't enjoy going out. In fact, before I was pregnant I was usually the one getting everyone to take a break from studying. But life seemed to pass by me after Sam, being a student, a mother and now a wife there just wasn't any time for these things.

"You should've seen this place when it first opened. Insane! Actually, this is where I met Sandra," she told me leaning over so I could hear her over the crowd. "Or was it Savannah," she broke into thought. "No, it was definitely Sandra. Now _she _was a firecracker."

"You are something else, you know that?"

"What?"

"Nothing," I shook my head trying to contain a giggle. "I'll get us the first round."

Pushing through the crowd is something that proved impossible and it seems like hours later I made my way to the front but apparently I was invisible. The first bartender walked right past me to help the person standing to my right. This came as no surprise when I glanced to my right and saw boobs, big perky boobs hanging out of the girl's tops. _No wonder the bartender went there first, _I thought to myself. After she is helped, I thought it's finally my turn but again the bartender looked right past me. _Seriously?_

"Excuse me!" I tried waving my hand to get someone's attention. I mean, there were three bartenders and sure, it was fairly busy but I had been standing there for a while and definitely overlooked more than once.

Reaching into my purse, I grabbed a hundred dollar bill out of my wallet, hoping that my new tactic would work and I would finally be able to get a drink. Waving the bill up in the air, I tried and reach around these savage kids to try and get at least an arm on the bar to get noticed. "Hello!"

"Woah," I heard a voice behind me. "You think that's gonna work?" He asked as my head turned toward the source.

"Yeah?" I shrugged.

"Put that away," he said before casually waving his hand toward one of the bartenders immediately grabbing their attention. _What the hell? _"What are you drinking?"

"Umm, mojito and a daiquiri." He gave me a questioning look but it's paired with a smile, a cute smile too, showing off his perfectly straight white teeth and a dimple threatening to push through on his stubbly cheek. He shook his head before turning back to the bartender.

"Two whiskey's, neat and two shots of the usual," he ordered instead. "Thanks, bro!" He shouted before grabbing the two shots that were miraculously set in front of him. The guy must have known the bartender or something with how quickly he was able to get drinks. He handed me a shot.

"What is it?" I asked skeptically. After all the lectures I've given Sam about not taking a drink from a stranger, here I was about to take a shot from a kid that still didn't have a name and was at least ten years younger than me.

"Best whiskey you can find," he answered simply before bringing the shot glass higher. "Cheers!" And he downed it in one gulp not even waiting for me to do the same as I stood frozen in place. "Damn that's good."

And before he could see me standing like a fool with the shot still in hand, I quickly downed it before feeling the burn down my throat but unlike other times where the burn continued down my throat and to my stomach, this actually smoothed out. "Wow, that _is _good," I said stunned at the fact that I actually enjoyed it.

"Told you," he said through a cocky smirk. "Dominic," he then continued as he reached his hand across the short distance between our bodies.

Not wanting to be rude, I immediately reciprocated and shook his hand before introducing myself. "Brittany."

"Are you new to the area?" He asked our hands unnoticeably to the both of us still clasped.

"Um, kind of. I live in Pasadena but my hu-, um, my roommate is moving to New York so I'm staying with a friend here," I said quickly. I'm not sure why I felt the need to lie to this person I didn't even know. Maybe because saying I was divorced was a sob story nobody wanted to hear, let alone an attractive young man. He probably doesn't know the first about marriage or divorce.

"That's cool."

"Looks like you come here often?" I asked and immediately regret it when I saw his eyebrow quirk. Now that I had a chance to look at him, he was very attractive. Again, at least ten years younger than me, but he stood tall, I would have guessed about six foot, with a well-built frame, not too muscly and not too thin. His eyes were soft and warm, his skin sunkissed, definitely a California kid.

"You could say that," he said before someone called out his name, again someone from behind the bar.

"Dom! Why don't you stop flirting with the pretty girl and help out!"

I felt my cheeks heat up at the compliment and tried to hide it. "Shut up, Alex. I am not afraid to fire your ass!" He joked back.

"So, you're like the manager or something?" I asked.

"Kind of. I'm the bartender, the manager, the bus-boy." I'm even more confused now and he must've sensed it because it continued to explain. "This is my bar."

My eyes widened at that information. This kid was probably under thirty years old and owned a bar? A successful bar at that. "Wow. Impressive."

"Thanks," he said. "I'm really proud of it."

"Should be. Look like it's a popular spot."

"Eh. It's keeping a roof over my head. I did serve Emma Watson, which was pretty cool until I completely embarrassed myself when I asked if she wanted Butter Beer," he laughed.

"Oh, wow. Yeah, totally embarrassing," I said trying to cover up the fact that I had no idea what he was talking about. "Could've been worse, right?"

"How so?"

"You could've asked her if she was a vampire," I said and I knew right away I said something wrong. I took a guess, Twilight was popular for this generation, right? I could've sworn Emma Watson was the actress from that or was it someone else?

"You're funny," he said and I internally pat myself on the back for getting through that.

From the corner of my eye, I caught Rachel eyeing our exchange and I know she was probably itching to come and see what was holding me up. "Well, thanks for the drink. I should get back to my friend," I said reaching toward the bar to grab the drinks.

"Hey, wait!" I felt his hand lightly grab my arm, his hands so soft against my skin. "Can I get your number?" He asked shyly and it was kind of cute how he looked nervous. But why would he want my number?

"I think I'm a little too old for you," I told him.

"Woah! We gotta be the same age. How old do you think I am?" He laughed. _Um, how old do you think I am, _I thought to myself utterly confused at what was happening right now. "You gotta be what, twenty-six? Twenty-seven? Come on, I'm not a crazy person, I promise."

I hesitated still in shock that he thinks we could possibly be the same age before he continued to ramble. "Okay, how about this, I'll give you my number and if you are ever in the area, call me. Maybe we can get a drink or dinner."

"Sure." That worked for me, it's not like I was ever going to call the guy. After handing him my phone I made my way back to Rachel as I continued to try and wrap my head around Dominic, the bar owner.

"Here," I said in a trance as I took my seat next to Rachel, handing over her drink.

"Uh, Britt? What took you so long? And who was the hottie you were talking to?"

"People at bars are savages, Rach. I don't know how anyone comes here and enjoys themselves when it's like a scene from the Hunger Games trying to get a freakin' drink."

I watched her roll her eyes at me before pushing for more information about Dominic. "Now who's being dramatic. But seriously, Britt. Who was that? He looked like he was flirting with you."

"He was just being friendly. He helped me get a drink. I guess he owns the bar or whatever," I shrugged.

"Bullshit. He was flirting with you. And he owns this place?"

"Yeah, guess so. And okay, maybe he was flirting a little. I don't really know, no one has really flirted with me in a long time," I said taking a sip of my drink and damn, it was good. "You want to hear something funny? He thought I was twenty-six!"

But Rachel didn't laugh. "Why is that funny?"

"Because I am clearly _not."_

"Britt, you're hot. And you could totally pass for younger. I mean, have you looked at yourself? You have barely aged since college. And may I remind you, you still get carded."

"Good one, Rach," I laughed at her ridiculousness. "Anyways, sorry I didn't get your daiquiri. He insisted on ordering the drinks for us."

"This is way better. He really knows his stuff."

"Yeah," I said glancing subtly back toward the bar where Dominic was now helping out his employee's. "He really does."

Several drinks later Rachel and I decided to call it night. It was still a beautiful night to be outside. We were able to slip out without any other encounter with Dominic.

"I've been thinking," Rachel said suspiciously when we finally got home.

"And what have you been thinking about?" I asked sarcastically.

"Dominic, was it?" I nodded. "He thought you were twenty-six, right?"

"Right," I dragged out.

"And you want a job, right?"

"Just spit it out already."

"Why don't you be twenty-six?" She said finally and she had that look, that 'I have a crazy idea' look and that scared me. "Hear me out, you tell them you're twenty-six and they hire you. Boom, you have a job!"

"And who in their right mind is going to _actually _believe them when I lie about my age?"

"Anyone would! I told you already, you haven't aged since college. And you already proved that others could think that with Dominic. All you need is a little hair change maybe, definitely outfit change but that's easy!"

"You are crazy, you know that?" I said trying to laugh off the outrageous suggestion.

"No, actually I'm a genius! Listen, you tell a little white lie, change your date of birth and change your college graduation year. You need a job, and you told me yourself that that is near impossible these days. What could go wrong?"

As much as I hated to admit it, Rachel was on to something. Big deal, I change my birthday, my resume and experience stay the same. Why shouldn't I get the job I'm more than qualified for? What could possibly go wrong?

"Oh, what the hell. Let's do it!"


	2. First Days

**CHAPTER 2**

**FIRST DAYS**

_Deep breath. _

This was it. Standing in the elevator, I went over all the things I had crammed over the past few days, references to things this generation was interested in, things like - Tweets equal Twitter the one with a blue bird, Instagram was for pictures and stories that followers could watch, and Snapchat was the one with all the cool filters. Justin Bieber, Jonas Brothers all popular, we liked house music, which I still didn't understand and clubbing was fun! As the doors opened, I took a deep breath and made my way toward the receptionist.

_Action._

"Hi. Brittany Pierce. I have an interview for the office assistant," I said confidently and was immediately met with a warm smile. _So far so good, _I thought to myself. The outfit choice must have been a good one. I was wearing a black pencil skirt with a satin blouse tucked in pairing it with simple black pumps. The perfect business attire for the young girl I was pretending to be.

"Have a seat. Celeste will be with you in a few minutes," the receptionist kindly said. As the minutes went by I felt the nerves start to settle in. I tried to focus on other things, tried to keep my mind clear but the more time passed the more difficult that became.

_Few Days Earlier_

"_Oh, what the hell. Let's do it!"_

"_Yes! Okay, first you'll need a makeover, definitely need to do something with your hair, the outfits will be easy. Oh! I can call Carl, he'll know what to do and then there's Nikki-"_

"_Rach."_

"_Nikki, that might be awkward but whatever she's the best. I wonder if she'll go short or add extension-"_

"_Rachel."_

"_Probably extensions. And maybe even some highlights. Or maybe not. When is the last time I saw Nikki?" _

"_RACHEL!"_

"_What?" _

"_It's late, we've been drinking and honestly your rambling is giving me a headache," I told her honestly. "Let's figure this out in the morning." _

_And not to my surprise, I was woken up bright and early the next morning and dragged to her friend's salon._

"_Rachel! I was surprised to hear from you," a short brunette said the second we walked through the empty salon's doors._

"_How have you been, Nikki?" Rachel asked as she kissed the girl on the cheek._

"_Good. At first, I thought this was a booty call, but then I remembered that morning calls aren't really your thing," she joked with Rachel. That made me relaxed. The last thing we needed was an uncomfortable situation. "So, what can I help you with?"_

"_This is my friend, Brittany. She's newly divorced so we're looking for something fresh. Younger. You know, to get back out there, maybe meet someone." Rachel said, smartly omitting the whole truth. _

"_Mhm," Nikki hummed as she looked me up and down. "I can work with this. Anything you have in mind or can I do my thing?" _

_Rachel quickly looked at me before answering for me. "Do your thing." _

_And she did, giving me longer locks and layering my already blonde hair while adding even more blonde streaks throughout. Once she was finished, she moved on to the makeup, showing me techniques that the millennials used. Seemed easy enough although it was more makeup than I preferred to use. There were things like eyelash extensions and contouring that looked a lot harder than it seemed. _

_Rachel waited patiently since Nikki insisted that she not see me until the finished product. "Rach, you ready?" I could just imagine Rachel nodding her head, bouncing in her spot itching to finally see me. _

"_I give you," Nikki said dramatically as if we were in a movie and the main character gets a makeover, becoming this beautiful woman they always were deep down. "Younger and way hotter, Brittany Pierce!" _

"_Fuck!"_

"_What? You don't like it? I knew this was a bad idea-"_

"_No! Fuck, as in good. You really are incredible, Nikki. She looks amazing!"_

"_You think so, Rach?"_

"_I know so. Once we hit the mall, these people are totally going to believe it when you tell them you're twenty-six."_

"_Okay, so what's next?" I asked as I brushed my finger through my new locks. _

"_Next, shopping! You need a new fresh look, not that there is anything wrong with your clothes now. But you could use a little change. And then, the most important part, we have to delete your life off the internet."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Facebook, Britt. And whatever else you have. It can't be there. One click and they'll know that you are lying."_

"_But I hardly use Facebook and it's under my married name. They would never find me," I said naively. _

"_Oh, Britt. You are so cute and so technologically behind. Anyone can find anyone on the internet. Trust me. I would know."_

"_Fine. Delete it."_

"_Good. And then, you are all set! All you need to do now is get a job," she smirked._

I couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness that I went through just a few days ago but if it helped get me this job, this job that would finally bring in money, money to send to Sam, money to support not only myself but my daughter too, then it would all be worth it. The time passed slowly when I felt my phone vibrate from inside my purse.

_From Rachel: Good luck! You got this. Call me immediately after!_

"Brittany Pierce?" I looked up when I heard my name. "Celeste is ready for you."

_Celeste, I hope she's nice, _I thought to myself as the receptionist escorted me through the office before stopping in front of a large glass door, knocking and waiting to be let in.

"Good luck," she said and pushed the door open for me to walk through before going back to her desk in the front.

The woman's back faced me and I assumed this was Celeste. I had been to many interviews over the last few weeks but none where the person ignored my existence. I cleared my throat when she spun in her chair but didn't make an effort to raise her head to see me. Instead, she stared down through her chic glasses at the paper in her hand.

"Brittany Pierce," she said. "Can you start tomorrow?"

"I'm sorry?" I half-choked said not entirely sure if I heard her correctly. She hadn't looked up yet and I was still standing just past the entrance of her door.

I wasn't sure if I said something wrong or right, but apparently, it was enough for her to look up and finally make eye contact with me.

"How rude of me, sit," she demanded and I sat without hesitating. I already felt intimidated by this woman who I presumed would be my boss. She was an elegant woman in her forties, her hair cut short and pin straight, her makeup done perfectly. She wore a navy blue suit and wore it well. "Look, your resume is great. And honestly, I am in desperate need for an assistant. So, since you are the first normal looking girl to walk through my door, can you start tomorrow? Because if so, the job is yours."

I sat there shocked as my head tried to wrap around what was happening. Without speaking I was being offered a job. _This couldn't be right, _I thought to myself.

"Um," I started to say but words got caught in my throat.

"Um?" She said as she cocked her eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. Her new position made me start to sweat as my nerves were getting the better of me. "Listen, Bethany. There are a million guys and girls out there that would die to be in your position. Do you know how hard it is to get a job these days? Let alone a job at one of the top publishing houses in Los Angeles, hell, in the United States?"

"It's Bri-"

"Sh. Don't speak. You went to college, right? You must have some kind of a brain up there. You will do as I ask, and you will in no way think that you can bring me a novel either you or a friend of yours has written in hopes to get published. You are not to use this job for favors. Is that understood?"

"Yes, but-"

"Good. You start tomorrow. Be in the office at 8 am sharp. I assume you can see yourself out?"

Not wanting to say anything else in fear that I could mess this opportunity up, I quickly stood, gave Celeste a smile and made my way out of her office.

_What the hell just happened?_ I scrambled through my purse as I tried to find the exit of the large building to find my phone and call Rachel. I settled on the lobby since it was empty and sat down while I waited for Rachel to pick up.

_Rachel, where the hell are you? Anyways, I got the job! Celeste, that's my boss, I think um, she was interesting. Anyways, I guess I'll see you at home. _

"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop," I heard a soft voice behind me. "You'll be working with Celeste?"

"Yeah," I said and wondered if she knew her or worked at L&L Publishing too. "Do you work for her too?"

"Oh no," she said. "I do work at L&L Publishing though, just not under Celeste. She's not as bad as she seems, a little odd if you ask me, but not a bad boss to have. Anyways, I need to get back to work." she said. "I'm Quinn, by the way," the young blonde introduced.

"Brittany."

"I guess I'll be seeing you around, Brittany."

/

"Rachel!" Over the past week, I've always been nervous to walk in on something I would rather avoid especially when Rachel doesn't immediately answer. "Rachel! Please tell me you are not doing what I think you are and have clothes on for once!"

"Chill, Britt," I heard her say as she made her way into the living room of her penthouse loft. "I wasn't doing anything inappropriate in our home," she said dramatically.

"I find that hard to believe, Rach," I joked with her as I took in her appearance. It was still early afternoon, yet she looked like she hadn't left her bed, her hair was a mess but she had makeup on and her shirt, well her shirt left little to the imagination as her pink boy shorts poked out from beneath. "And this is _your_ home, not _our _home."

"Oh shut up. It's our home for now. And I promise, there is no one here," she said suspiciously making me question her.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. I was just FaceTiming a friend of mine," she said with a hint of a blush creeping on her face.

"Is that so? You know what? I don't even want to know," I said as I made my way to the refrigerator to grab a yogurt with Rachel following close behind.

"So, how'd it go?" She asked.

I shrugged not wanting to give her the satisfaction of knowing quite yet. I took my sweet time taking a seat at the island and slowly peeling back the lid of the yogurt before mixing it with my spoon and bringing it to my mouth for a bite. When I glanced up, I could see the anticipation on her face and knew she wouldn't be able to sit in silence for much longer.

"Britt, did it work?" She asked again and as much as I enjoyed watching her squirm I decided enough was enough.

"I got the job!"

"What? It worked! Oh my god, Britt!" She screamed with her usual dramatics but I loved it at this particular moment as we both embraced and bounced up and down like we had done so many times as kids when we got good news.

"It worked!"

"Tell me everything. Did you remember all the stuff we went through?"

"Honestly? It was the weirdest interview I've ever been in. I didn't even speak. She did all the talking and basically told me I got the job the second I sat down."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, she said, 'Brittany Pierce, can you start tomorrow?' Oh and then she called me Bethany, yelled at me when I hesitated and told me that if I had a college degree I couldn't be _that _dumb," I rambled on trying to remember my first encounter with my new boss.

"Well, she sounds like a pleasant person to work with," she said sarcastically rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, but it's a job. Sure, I'm an assistant to this Celeste chick but still, it's a step in the right direction. Plus, it's with one of the biggest publishing houses in LA. Smaller firms didn't think twice about me. So what if I have to fetch coffee for a crazy person, this is my way in."

"I guess you're right."

"I start tomorrow. I'm back in the working world. It's crazy," I said. "Gonna miss me during the day?" I joked with my best friend.

"You know I work too, right?"

"Right, forgot about those acting classes you teach," I said.

"Are you always mean to best friends who have welcomed you with open arms?" She jokes.

"I'm just messing with you," I assured her. "So, what do I wear on my first day, mastermind?"

"I know just the outfit," she smirked before dragging me toward my room.

/

One thing that stays the same with age is the first day's - first day of school, the first day of work, it's all the same. The nerves always creep in, nerves and excitement of starting something new, a fresh slate and it is something that can't be avoided.

Celeste told me to be in the office by 8 am sharp so naturally, I was out of the house an hour before even if it only took me twenty minutes to get to the office. I wanted to be prompt on my first day because after all, first impressions are the most important. Pulling the flap down in my car to look over my makeup one last time, I make my way from the underground parking structure toward the elevator that took me to the 10th floor where I would officially be an employee at L&L Publishing.

After almost thirteen years of being away from the working world, I was finally back and it almost felt like I never left. A cup of coffee in hand, I walked confidently through the office in search of Celeste. But apparently, she had seen me first.

"Brenda! Good to see you showed up early without me having to say so," Celeste said with her loud voice. "And just to be clear, that is not me being impressed, it's what I expect out of you." My smile was wiped clear just as fast as it spread on my face.

Not even two minutes in and I was already having second thoughts about accepting this position. She started walking and for some reason, I stayed frozen in my spot.

"You going to stand there all day? How on earth are you supposed to _assist _me if you stand there," she said and the tone in her voice let me know that she did not want to say it again. So I willed my body to move. "Better. First, I need you to call that new steakhouse on Sunset and make sure there is a reservation for tomorrow at eight. Then, call that _ass _over at Edwards to see if he has the final manuscript that we asked for two days ago. Here," she said, my head still spinning with everything that was being thrown at me. "This is your phone from now on. You will answer it any time it rings, understood?"

I nodded mindlessly as I stared down at the new iPhone in my hands. I must have stayed silent for too long because once again Celeste's voice broke me out of my daze.

"Listen, if this is too much say it now before I regret keeping you on board."

"N-no. No. Not too much. Um, reservation and call Edwards for the manuscript. Answer this anytime it rings. I got it," I said my confidence building as I spoke.

"Good," she said before sitting at her desk and turning toward her computer. I still didn't know where I was supposed to go from here or where I was supposed to sit for the remainder of the day. "Is there something you need? I have a lot of work to do."

"I was just wondering where I should be," I said and knew it sounded stupid.

"Right. That desk right there is yours," she said pointing at the spot right outside her office doors. I left without another word, not wanting to push my luck further. The desk was equipped with everything I might need, a brand new Apple computer, a desk phone and a small drawer for my personal belongings. I reached around trying to find the power button but couldn't find it immediately. Computers weren't new to me, I did have a teenage daughter after all but this seemed fancier than anything I had worked with before. Not wanting to ask anyone for help because what twenty-six-year-old doesn't know how to turn on a computer, I poked around finally finding the right button to get me started. Making the reservation was easy, once I figured out which steakhouse Celeste was referring to. Talking to the author at Edwards proved to be a bit more difficult. He didn't seem like an ass as Celeste had mentioned but then again based on what I had seen so far if she was the one who was corresponding with him so I could see why he would be an ass to her. After apologizing for things I didn't even know about, I was able to get the manuscript from him just in time to step out for a quick lunch. Luckily for me, the office was in the heart of downtown and there were food options at every corner.

I hardly had a minute to check the time but judging by the lack of sun outside I knew it had to be late and time to head out. I popped my head in to say goodbye to Celeste and was met with a nod which was good enough for me. The rest of the week went the same but I was starting to get a hang of this and definitely getting comfortable with Celeste's unpredictability.

By the time Friday rolled around, I was exhausted. I thought I knew exhaustion before, juggling school and a newborn but this was something new even for me. Even though I hadn't seen a paycheck yet, I knew the long nights would be worth it. I needed, more than anything, to be able to support myself financially. I closed up the computer, which by now, I had learned how to maneuver flawlessly and grabbed my purse ready to enjoy a weekend away from the chaos.

"So, you survived your first week with Celeste," a soft voice came from behind me. "Feel like running away yet?"

"Thought about it," I joked with the blonde who I remember meeting briefly after my interview. "But she's not so bad once you understand what she wants."

"If you say so," she laughed. "Have any plans?"

"Yeah. I have a hot date with my couch."

"That's cute. I think what you need is a drink," she said ignoring the fact that I might have been serious about going home and sleeping away my long week. "Come on, one drink. I'll even let you vent about all the crazy shit Celeste had you doing."

A drink couldn't hurt plus Quinn seemed nice. She was someone I wouldn't mind getting close to and have someone by my side at work. "Okay, one drink."

Apparently, there was a bar around the corner from the office that was a frequently visited spot. Leaving our cars parked at work, we walked the short distance and found a table to join the rest of the working world that were there to enjoy a drink during Happy Hour on a Friday evening.

"This place has the best truffle mac and cheese," Quinn said as we found a table in the small hip bar. Everyone was dressed in their business casual attire, ties loosened and sleeves rolled up.

"So, Brittany," the blonde said. "Do you have a boyfriend?" The forwardness of the question caught me off-guard. It was a good thing I was taking a sip of my drink because my natural reaction was to laugh off the question.

"No. No boyfriend," I said setting the martini glass down on the table.

"Oh," she paused. "Girlfriend?"

"No. Single, very single," I said. She wasn't entirely wrong to assume the latter. I guess if I was to be asked now, I would say that I was bisexual although I haven't had to acknowledge that in years, ever since Aaron.

Ever since I was young, I always found men and women equally attractive in their own right and my first relationship was with a girl. It was in high school and to say that our relationship if you could even call it that, was dysfunctional, was an understatement. But we were young and looking back on it now I learned a lot about myself, both sexually and emotionally, things like what I liked and what I definitely didn't want again in a relationship. And then Aaron came into my life and the rest, as they say, was history.

"How is a cute girl like you single?"

I shrugged trying to get past this topic without any slip-ups. "I don't know, I guess I'm just focusing on myself these days. I had a serious boyfriend in college but it didn't work out," I told her vaguely. "What about you?"

"Yeah. Elijah. We've been together for about a year now," she said taking a bite of the mac and cheese she insisted on ordering, and she was right, it was delicious. "He's a financial advisor. I'm sure you'll meet him soon. He usually meets me on Friday's but he called me earlier that he had to stay at the office late and couldn't make it," she said with a hint of sadness and it made me wonder if that was a recurring thing but because I was just getting to know her I decided to not push the subject. "How'd you like your first week?"

"It was _interesting,_ to say the least."

"L&L is a great place to be. Trust me. I started two years ago and already moved from assistant to junior editor. It's a great gig."

"Yeah, I know. I just hope I can get through working with Celeste."

"Celeste is harmless. She thinks she runs things there but really nothing gets approved until it goes through Santana."

"Who's that?" I asked not recognizing the name and with such a unique name, I knew I would've remembered it.

"Santana? Santana Lopez, the L in L&L Publishing. It's her families publishing house," she giggled. "How do you not know this?"

"I don't know. I guess I assumed it was some guy that owned it. Celeste never mentioned her."

"That's actually surprising. I have this theory that Celeste is secretly in love with Santana, not that she has a chance," she rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her martini.

"Why's that?" My curiosity spiked. Anytime I could get some inside information on my boss was good with me.

"Well, Santana is kind of a closed book, always has been. She's sweet once you get to know her and she puts everything she has into this company. Her wife left her recently for a younger woman. It was a shocker once that got out. I actually feel bad for her," she said.

"That sucks," I said. It was odd to feel bad for someone I had never met but I guess because I was going through something similar I felt for Santana.

"Yeah. What's even worse is that she left her kids behind too. Just up and left out of the blue. Pretty fucked up if you ask me," Quinn said so calmly. I could never imagine Aaron walking away from Sam. As much as he messed up in our relationship, he loved our daughter and would never do anything to intentionally hurt her.

Through our second round of drinks, I learned that Quinn went to NYU and I had to do everything in my power not to blurt that my _daughter_ was now going to the same school. The drinks we were consuming was not helping the matter. It was nice to hang out with Quinn and get to know her. After paying the bill, we walked back to our cars and went our separate ways, promising to do this more often.

/

Sleeping in has never been my strong suit, as hard as I would try I was never able to sleep past eight in the morning. So it was a surprise to me when I opened my eyes for the first time on Saturday morning and saw it was a little after ten.

"Morning, sleepyhead!"

"Holy shit, Rachel! You scared the fuck out of me!" I yelled feeling my heart pound in my chest. "What the hell are you doing in here? And were you watching me sleep?"

"No," she said looking a little guilty. I forgot how weird my best friend was. The last time we were around each other this much was in college when we shared an apartment our Sophomore year.

I gave her a pointed look, "What's up, Rachel?"

"Nothing just wanted to hang out. See how your first week was. I got in late last night and you were already asleep," she said.

"You sure you didn't just get in? Your makeup looks like it could be from last night," I said knowingly.

"Whatever, don't judge me. I was at a friends house and decided to stay the night."

"Don't need to explain anything to me. I'm not your mother," I joked. "I should get up. I can't believe I actually slept in. I must have been tired."

"Must have been. The first week of work drained you, huh?"

"Guess so. Celeste is no joke," I said. "I need to head over to the house and grab the last few boxes and take them to storage. The house sold."

"Really? That's great! When?"

"Found out yesterday," I said as I slipped out of bed and rummaged through the dresser Rachel was kind enough to get me for my clothes. "What do you have planned for the day?"

"I have a class at noon. Dinner tonight? I want to hear all about work," she said and I nodded.

"Sounds good. Now get out so I can get dressed."

"Whatever, you forget that we lived together and I've seen it all before," she said as she got up to leave.

Before heading to the house, I stopped by the coffee shop next to Rachel's. Since I was not used to sleeping so long it was taking me a little longer to wake up. I figured a cup of coffee could help me out of this fog I was feeling. Although I had been staying with Rachel for a couple of weeks now, I was still getting used to the change of pace of her neighborhood. I was accustomed to the quiet of Pasadena, the many Starbucks in every corner and quick service. But in West Hollywood, coffee shops were a culture. Gone were the days where I would walk in, grab my coffee and leave all under five minutes. No, around here the line was long, there were two baristas working on specialty drinks and people filling up every seat working on their laptops.

Standing in line, I looked over the menu. _When did things get so fancy_, I thought to myself. They had options like almond milk, oat milk, and hemp milk, things I had never heard of before.

"Hi, what can I get you today?"

"Um, just a black coffee," I said.

"We have a bright and juicy Guatemala on drip but we're also featuring a fruity Geisha on a pour over," the barista said. These words were foreign to me. What happened to just black coffee?

"She'll do the drip," I heard a familiar voice behind me. "Hi," he said as I turned and was met with the same smiley face from the bar Rachel dragged me to.

"Hi," I said. I tried to turn back to pay for my coffee but it seems he had already beat me to it.

"On me," he said and handed me my cup.

"You didn't have to do that," I said feeling bad.

"Consider it as a welcome to the neighborhood," he joked. He was just as cute as I remembered, if not cuter. He was dressed in a simple black t-shirt and tan shorts and had a backward baseball cap on, looking much more casual than the last time I saw him. "I'm glad I ran into you. You never called. You know that could cause a lot of emotional damage to a guy like me," he feigned.

"Yeah, sorry. Um, it was a really busy week," I said not completely lying although I never had any intention of calling him.

"Well, since you're here and I'm here, why don't you join me?" He asked hopefully finding an empty table. I know I had things to do but he was so sweet and he _did _buy me my coffee. It would be rude if I didn't accept.

"Sure." And the smile on his face grew ten times.

"How do you like the coffee?"

"It's actually really good," I said. "Thanks for helping me back there. What happened to a simple cup of black coffee?" I laughed.

"Drip is a fancy word for coffee," he said taking a sip of his fancy latte. "I'm really happy I ran into you again. Since you didn't call, I thought I would never see you again."

"Oh, please. I'm sure you have plenty of young ladies waiting for you to take them out. You _do _own a bar after all," I said looking down at my cup, completely missing the reaction on his face.

"Woah, just because I own a bar doesn't mean that women throw themselves at me," he said clearly offended by my comment. "And owning a bar isn't the _only _thing I do, by the way."

"I'm sorry," I said. I wasn't sure why I said what I said. I guess a part of me was still surprised as to why a good looking guy his age was even remotely interested in me. "It's just, you're a great catch."

"Thank you. But you know, you're a great catch too. I like you, Brittany. I know we barely know each other but there's something about you."

I couldn't contain the blush that threatened to spread across my face.

"Look, no pressure. How about we just get to know each other better," he said and reached his hand out, similar to how he did at the bar that night we first met. "Hi, I'm Dominic. I'm twenty-eight and own a bar," he said with that charming smile of his.

His cuteness threw any sense I had out the door and I was already reaching for his hand taking it in mine. "Brittany. I just moved here from Pasadena and work as an assistant and L&L Publishing."

"Nice to meet you, Brittany."

"Nice to meet you, too. So, you said owning a bar wasn't the only thing you do."

"I'm a freelance photographer."

"Really? What kind of photography?" I ask interested.

"Anything really, but most recently sports photography. After college, I traveled to different countries and took pictures. It was one of the best experiences of my life."

"Wow, I'm jealous. Where'd you go?"

"Where _didn't _I go," he laughed. "Africa, Spain, Greece, Australia. All over. All the photos are in my portfolio. I'll show you someday."

"I'd love to see them. So, what's sports photography?"

"Well, I take pictures for sports," he said and I rolled my eyes at the obvious answer. "I was working with the South Bay Lakers for a while and recently started working with the Galaxy."

"Um, I'm not much of a sports person," I said.

"It's okay. The South Bay Lakers are the G-League team for Los Angeles and Galaxy is the professional soccer team here. It's pretty cool, plus I get tickets to games that I don't have to work at. Maybe, if you're lucky, I'll take you to one." Oh, he had jokes.

"If I'm lucky, huh? Maybe if you're lucky, I'll accept the invitation," I joked back suddenly feeling confident in myself and his obvious interest in me and my growing interest in him.

"Fair enough!" I looked down at the time not realizing how much had gone by. It felt so easy talking to him. It was a breath of fresh air honestly, especially after everything I had recently been through with Aaron. But I still had things to do today and considering my house was now sold, I didn't really have another choice but to get going.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize what time it was. I actually have somewhere I need to be," I told him and I saw his shoulders slump a little. I didn't want him to think this was some excuse to get out of hanging out with him because I was truly enjoying myself. "I'm sorry, but we should do this again sometime," I added hoping that this would change the sad puppy look on his face.

"Yeah, okay. But this time I'm getting your number. I'm not risking the chance of you ghosting me, again," he said and I wasn't quite sure what 'ghosting' meant, must have been one of those young terms I wasn't aware of but based on the context I understood what he meant.

"You're lucky you're cute," I flirted, still shocked at my forwardness and grabbed his phone from the table to program my number. "I guess I'll see you soon?" I half questioned.

"Definitely. Have a good day, Brittany," he said standing with me and boldly wrapping his arms around my body and embracing me into a hug.

"You too," I said and made my way out of the coffee shop making sure not to look back and hide the heat that had once again spread against my cheeks. It felt like I was a teenager again and it felt good. This could be good for me. I couldn't remember the last time I let loose and had fun. Dominic might just be exactly what I needed.

**Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Don't forget to let me know what you think! :P**


	3. First Dates

**CHAPTER 3**

**FIRST DATES**

"Popcorn?"

"Thanks," I said not taking my eyes off the TV.

We'd been sitting here for the last three hours watching Grey's Anatomy, per Rachel's request once she found out I had never seen an episode. So naturally, she insisted we start from the beginning. I hated to admit it but I was actually starting to like the show.

The house was officially sold, my belongings were all either in storage or at Rachel's, so it was the first day where I could just sit back and relax. My phone buzzed from next to me pulling me out of the deep hole I was in.

I looked over to see Dominic's name on my screen and something inside of me fluttered. It was the first time he was texting me since getting my number yesterday at the coffee shop. I knew it would only be a matter of time before he reached out now that he had it.

_From Dominic: So I hope you aren't the type of girl that thinks it's weird when a guy texts you after a day of getting your number. I've never been too good with the whole wait 3 days thing… _

I smiled after reading it before putting the phone down and turning my attention back to the show. I didn't want to text back immediately and seem like I was desperate or waiting by my phone for him to call or text because I wasn't.

Not even fifteen minutes passed when I heard my phone buzz again and without even glancing at it I had a feeling of who it was.

_From Dominic: Okay, maybe it was too soon. But can you blame me? I finally got your number and you are way too pretty for me to wait _

The compliment worked and I felt my cheeks heat up.

"What's got you all smiley?" Rachel's voice rang over the TV noise.

"Huh?"

"Who's texting you?" She asked again clearly catching my blush and apparent smile.

"Oh, um," I started, not knowing what to say. It's not like Rachel wasn't aware of the whole Dominic situation from the bar but I hadn't mentioned that I ran into him yesterday morning or that I was starting to really enjoy his company _or _that he had my number. I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted Rachel all up in my personal life right now. "It's just Sam telling me about a cute boy she met on campus," I lied but I should have known better than to lie to Rachel. All our lives I've never been able to successfully get away with any kind of lie with her. She could see right through my bullshit no matter what the situation.

"Right. And you expect me to believe that? Although I don't doubt that any college kid would find your daughter cute and adorable. I know that face," she said pointing to my still tinted cheeks. "And Britt, sweetie, you've always been a terrible liar."

I rolled my eyes at her and turned back to the TV hoping that my silence would give her the hint to drop it. But again, I should have known my best friend better.

"It's Dominic, isn't it? You finally decided to give him a chance, didn't you?" She said bouncing in her seat and twisting her body so that it faced mine.

"Maybe?"

"Maybe? I'd say by the blush that has completely taken over your entire face it's a definite yes! Tell me everything! What is he saying? Wait, are you guys sexting?"

"What? No! And it's the first time we're really talking. I kind of ran into him yesterday at the coffee shop down the street and we ended up hanging out for a little," I shrugged.

"And?" She pushed.

"And nothing. I gave the poor kid my number."

"I'm so proud of you! He's hot. You should totally sleep with him."

"I am not going to just sleep with him, Rachel. He's actually a really cool guy. And smart."

"Good. I think this is really good for you, Britt. I completely approve," she said with a smile.

"Thank you, not that I was waiting for your approval," I laughed.

_To Dominic: Such a charmer… And I only find it a little weird_

_From Dominic: You haven't seen anything yet. Just wait and then let me know how charming you think I am_

The flirting didn't stop throughout the day and it was shockingly refreshing, once I got a hang of it. It helped that Dominic was easy to talk to.

As the week went on our texting continued. It was odd at first since the most texting I ever did was short and to the point and mostly with Sam. But as much as we have been talking we still haven't had the opportunity to see each other.

It was the end of another stressful and busy week when Quinn once again suggested we grab drinks. She mentioned having to stop by home first so we planned on meeting at a bar later in the evening. I asked if my friend Rachel could tag along, not wanting to leave her out especially because I hadn't seen much of her this week. This job was really taking up all of my time.

"Rach, you ready?"

"Yeah! Just a second!" I heard her yell from somewhere in her room. I was waiting for her in the kitchen and had just gotten off the phone with Sam. It was great to hear how happy she was in New York. "Okay, all set!"

"Took you long enough," I half-joked when my best friend finally graced me with her presence.

"Sorry but you know first impressions are very important, Britt. And I'm meeting your work friend who you seem to have become close with," she said in her Rachel like manner. I rolled my eyes before moving off the couch to grab my purse and walk toward the door.

"You are ridiculous, Rachel Berry. But I love you. Let's go," I said wrapping my arm loosely around her shoulders.

We decided to take an Uber to the bar, neither one of us wanting to worry about drinking and driving tonight. It was Friday after all, as Rachel so kindly reminded me fifteen times since I walked through the front door.

"Brittany, over here!" I heard Quinn's voice across the bar.

"Hey, Quinn," I said bending over to give her a hug, our friendship had grown immensely over the last two weeks. "This is my friend, Rachel. Rachel, Quinn."

"Nice to meet you, Quinn. Brittany did not mention how beautiful you are," Rachel said and I immediately sighed, rolling my eyes at her upfront flirting.

"Thank you," Quinn said I knew Quinn could handle herself against Rachel's unusual antics. "Nice to meet you too. What can I get you guys? First round is on me."

The second Quinn walked away from the table, Rachel spun and slapped me on my arm.

"You did _not _mention how hot your new friend is! I find that extremely rude," she said turning her attention to Quinn who was flirting with the bartender.

"First of all, she's too young for you, second of all, she's straight as an arrow," I narrowed my eyes at Rachel hoping she understood to back off.

"Oh, Britt. You're so cute. From personal experience, no one is fully straight _and _may I remind you that you are the one glued to your phone talking to your boy toy? How old is Dominic again?" I sat quietly knowing she was right. "Exactly. Plus, no harm in flirting a little bit, right?"

"Martini for you, Rachel and vodka soda for you, Brittany."

"Thank you, Quinn," Rachel said in her sweetest voice. This was going to be a long night.

"So, how do you two know each other?" Quinn questioned and I suddenly remembered that Rachel and I never discussed the story we would use about how we, in fact, knew each other. I mean, Rachel didn't look old but she didn't look like she was in her twenties either. Especially the way she dressed, again, not that her style was outdated, it was just _unique. _

"Um, family friend," I blurted impulsively. Lucky for me, Rachel was an expert at acting and stepped in just in time.

"Yeah. Our families are very close and growing up in a small town, it was easy to become like family. I used to babysit little Brittany here. But as we got older we realized how much we got along and became more like sisters," she continued with her acting.

_Really? Babysitter? That's the story she was going with? I am so going to kick her ass when we get home, _I thought to myself.

"That's cool. And you guys both ended up out here in Los Angeles?"

"Yeah, I came out here after college to pursue an acting career on Broadway and Brittany here went to UCLA and stayed out here since."

"Broadway, huh? Are you still acting?"

"No, I recently retired. Have you seen any shows?"

"I've seen a couple. My parents are huge Broadway fans and would drag me to a show every time we were in New York. Ironically, I never went when I was at NYU. I guess I had enough growing up."

I internally laughed at Quinn's response, knowing the fact that she practically just said she hated Broadway to the one person who lived and breathed it was hilarious to me.

"Oh, well, maybe you would have a different perspective now. If you ever want to see a show, let me know. I can get tickets for you anytime." _Give it a rest, Rachel, _I thought to myself.

_From Dominic: Hi beautiful_

The text made me immediately blush and sucked me into my phone, while Quinn and Rachel continued on with their conversation.

_From Dominic: Nice to know I can make you blush through a text. Virtual high five for myself!_

_What a dork! Wait, was he here? _I snapped my head and looked around.

"Everything okay?" Quinn asked noticing my odd behavior.

"Huh? Yeah. Everything's fine."

"Dominic again?"

"Who's Dominic?"

"The hottie bar owner that is smitten with our Brittany."

_Who the hell says smitten?_

I don't get a word in before someone behind me tapped me on my shoulder.

"Dominic! What are you doing here?" I said surprised to see him here. Sure, his text gave me a hint that he might be, but still, it caught me off guard.

"I like to visit other bars from time to time," he smirked. "I'm glad that fate brought me to this one though. Dominic," he said turning to the two girls to introduce himself politely.

"Quinn," Quinn said extending her hand.

"Rachel. Do you want to join us?"

"Sorry, ladies. I can't, I have to get to work. But when I saw you I had to come over and say hi," he said turning his attention back to me. Even sitting at the high bar stools he still stood a little taller than me. "And to see if you were free tomorrow."

I froze and was put on the spot. I could feel two pairs of eyes burning a hole in my skin, waiting for me to answer, to say _anything. _

"Uh," I started but was cut off.

"Come on, don't make me beg in front of your friends," he said through a laugh.

"Okay, tomorrow."

"Great, be ready by seven. Ladies, nice to meet both of you. Have a good night," he said and walked away.

"Way to go, Britt!"

"Yeah, Brittany. You didn't tell me you had a man, let alone a man that looked like that!"

"Shut up, both of you. And he's not my man. We've just sort of been talking, that's all. I'll get us drinks," I said and walked away not able to handle being around them. My heart was racing and my mind was still trying to wrap itself around what just happened.

/

From the second I opened my eyes the next morning, my mind was racing. I was going on a date, a first date. Those are always a disaster, from what I remembered. My palms started to sweat as I thought back to all the first dates I had experienced throughout my life. Although there weren't many, there were enough to know that they never went well.

With Mia, my high school relationship, if you can even call it that, there was never a first date. There was never a date, period. We met freshman year and became friends. Rachel never liked her and I trusted my best friends judgment but with Rachel being busy all the time with drama and acting lessons, Mia and I became close. I knew from a young age that I was attracted to both guys and girls. It felt natural to me to be attracted to both because what drew me to either sex wasn't _just_ the physical part of it, it was the emotional connection I felt. And although I was comfortable with that fact about myself, I had never explored any of those feelings, that is until one day when Mia was over at my house and we were pretending to study. She turned to me out of the blue and asked if she could kiss me. She was a very pretty girl, with long brown wavy hair and dark brown eyes. She was athletic, playing soccer all throughout high school and liked to have fun. The question caught me off guard but I was quick to respond.

I didn't see the harm in a kiss. In fact, I saw it as a benefit for two reasons. One, I could get the whole first kiss awkwardness out of the way and second, she was my friend and I knew it wouldn't be weird for us after, so why not? Once I gave her the green light, she didn't hesitate to lean in, our position on the bed a little awkward with us both lying on our stomachs next to each other. I remember her lips were soft against mine and at first, we both merely grazed against each other not trying to do more. Once we both were comfortable with what was happening we deepened the kiss but neither one daring to push the boundary with exploring each other's mouths with our tongues. It was a sweet first kiss and ended quickly. We both laughed after the fact and went back to our studying as if nothing had happened.

The first _real_ first date I had was in college, right before I met Aaron. There was a guy that lived in the same building as me and we would often run into each other going back and forth from class or the dining hall. We would exchange quiet smiles out of politeness but nothing further than that. Then one day, he must have mustered up enough courage to speak to me. I found it cute and endearing when he met me with a 'Hey'. We would greet each other every time after that until he asked if I'd like to go to dinner with him. And from there, everything went downhill. Right before he got to my dorm, I spilled makeup all over my white pants. I, fortunately, had enough time to change but that was just the beginning. Once we got our dinner, he accidentally knocked his soda over, soaking our entire table, food, and my pants. He felt terrible about the whole incident and I insisted that it was okay, even though being in wet pants was very uncomfortable. At the end of the night, after apologizing yet again, he went in for a goodnight kiss. He must have thought I was leaning left when I leaned right and we bumped our foreheads. We tried to laugh it off and we did end up kissing but the spark was not there. We said our goodbyes and that was that.

Then there was Aaron. It's funny to think that we even got married because our first date would have said otherwise. His car which he loved like his own child, decided to break down on our way to dinner. After waiting for a tow for an hour, we ended up back at the dining hall since we had long missed our reservation and the kitchen was closed.

All in all, I did not have the best taste in my mouth when it came to first dates and this just made my nerves grow all the more when I thought about tonight. I liked Dominic, I really did and although we had only spent time together at the coffee shop a week ago, I had gotten to know him a little better through our conversations. I just hoped that tonight, by some sort of miracle, went smoothly.

"Rachel!" I yelled as I made my way lazily out of my room and toward hers. I knew she would still be asleep by the amount of alcohol she consumed the night before. "Rachel!"

"Huh, what?" I saw her small frame pop out from under all her pillows and covers in the darkness of her room.

"Wake up. I need you," I said urgently as I pulled back the covers to make my point clear and then moved toward her blinds, opening them all to let the brightness of the sun fill the room.

"What the hell, Britt. Who wakes someone up like that? And I need you to stop yelling and shaking the bed. I have a killer headache."

"I don't have time for your dramatics. And it's your fault for drinking as much as you did trying to impress Quinn, who, may I remind you again, you have absolutely no chance with. So, cut the shit, get up, wash your face and let's go."

My tone must have worked because for the first time in a long time I saw fear in her eyes and I internally smirked knowing I could still have that effect on her. "You have ten minutes, Rachel! Or I will throw your tiny ass in the shower myself!" I yelled as I exited the room to start a cup of coffee for both of us.

Right on cue, Rachel appeared from her bedroom, looking a lot better than she did earlier but still looking like a hot mess, with her hair pulled up in a messy bun and sunglasses on.

"Well, good morning," I chuckled and handed her a cup filled with fresh coffee.

"What the hell is so important that you dragged my ass out of bed? You know I need my sleep."

"I need your help. I don't know what to wear tonight for my date and I'm sort of freaking out."

"Oh shit, I forgot about your date! Okay, um well where is he taking you?"

I thought for a minute and realized I had no information about tonight only that he said to be ready by seven. _Fuck._

"I don't know. Should I text him? Is that weird? I don't know the rules, Rachel!"

"You're over thinking. Just ask him what you should wear."

_I could do that, _I thought to myself before pulling my phone out of my back pocket.

_To Dominic: So I know you said to be ready by seven but I don't exactly know what to wear. Can you help me out?_

I didn't know if it was too early for him knowing he probably had a late night working at the bar. But apparently not because not even a minute after sending the text I felt my phone vibrate with a response.

_From Dominic: I'm inclined to make a comment about you not wearing anything but that might be too soon so I'll just go with the simple answer. Be casual and comfortable. _

Again, his forwardness and the flirtatious answer made me blush. He seemed to be able to do that quite often.

_From Dominic: Don't overthink it. You will look beautiful no matter what you wear. Also, shoot me the addy_

"Okay, so he said casual. Also, he said 'shoot me the addy'. I don't know what that means," I said looking to Rachel hopefully for answers.

"I think he is asking for the address," she said not entirely sure of herself. "Here, hand me your phone."

"Where's yours?"

"In my room, I think," she said as she tapped away on my phone. "Yup. He wants the address."

_To Dominic: Still such a charmer. 5535 Sunnyvale Rd_

_From Dominic: Perfect. See you tonight!_

/

After a very frantic outing at the mall, I was now back at home with only fifteen minutes to make sure my outfit and makeup were put together. I was home alone, which made me even more panicked because I had no one to freak out with. Rachel left not too long ago to meet up with some friends who were in town from New York.

I decided to keep my look simple, leaving my hair down and in its natural wave with light makeup. We ended up finding a cute top to pair with my black jeans and tan boots. It was simple and casual like Dominic instructed. I grabbed a jean jacket just in case it got cold since I didn't exactly know what we would be doing or if we would be outside or not.

I looked myself over one last time before heading to the living room. I even contemplated taking a shot just to calm my nerves but decided against it. I sat in the living room and played around on my phone, trying to avoid staring at the clock. The next ten minutes felt like an hour when my phone rang.

"Hi."

"_Hey. I'm outside. Want to let me in?" _

"Yeah. Press 932 on the pin pad and I'll buzz you in. It's penthouse 3D."

"_Okay. Be up in a minute."_

I hung up and waited for the buzzer to go off to let him in. Once it did, my nerves started to take over and I felt my body heat up with anticipation. _Just breathe, _I told myself. _It's going to be fine. He's a nice guy. Relax and enjoy yourself. _

I made my way to the front door when there was a soft knock. I took one last breath before moving my hand to the doorknob.

"Wow. You look," he started taking in my appearance and I knew I was not doing a very good job of hiding my red cheeks. "You look incredible."

"Thank you," I said hiding my face as best I can before taking in his outfit. He was wearing a pair of dark slim jeans and a light grey checkered button up with his hair cleanly slicked to the side. He looked handsome.

"You ready?" He asked reaching his hand out for mine. I simply nodded letting him take my hand.

"I hope you're hungry," he said making conversation as we waited for the elevator to take us down.

The drive was better than expected, considering the car didn't break down or anything like that. We pulled up to the restaurant's valet parking. I hadn't looked up to see where we were yet as my door was opened by the young boy working the valet service. _I thought he said casual, valet was not casual, _I thought to myself as Dominic made his way around the car to take my hand yet again.

"I should've probably asked if you like sushi," he said a slight hint of worry in his tone. The truth was, I didn't have enough experience eating sushi to know whether I liked it or not. Aaron was not the biggest fan and I would cook at home a lot when Sam was growing up. "Shit, you're not. We can go somewhere else. There's a great taco spot up the street or pasta? Everyone loves pasta, we can-"

"Hey," I cut him off and squeezed his hand to grab his attention. "Sushi sounds great." I didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise and as far as potential disasters go, this couldn't be the worst.

The place was really trendy and filled with people, nothing like the typical sushi restaurants I had seen around the neighborhood. This was a modern twist on it and even had a DJ playing music throughout the entire place.

"Do you like sake?" He asked. I wasn't much of a drinker but luckily for me, I had tried sake a few times from Rachel and enjoyed it.

"Yeah, I do."

"Great. We'll have a bottle of hot sake and two Sapporo's, please."

"This is a cool place," I said looking around and circled back to see a satisfied smile on Dominic's face.

"I'm glad you like it," he said. "The sushi here is incredible. What's your favorite?"

_My favorite? Shit, _I thought to myself. "Um, well, you see," I started. "I actually haven't had that much experience with sushi before."

"But you said sushi sounds great," he said panicked. "Brittany, it's okay. We can still leave. I want you to enjoy dinner and not pretend like you ate something."

"I know. I think I'm open to trying it though. With you," I said with a smile hoping to calm him. It was nice to see that I wasn't the only one worried about the date.

"You're sure, right? I won't be upset if you tell him you want to leave."

"I'm very sure. So, what do you recommend?"

Once he realized that I was certain I wanted to stay and share this experience with him, he was practically beaming, bouncing in his seat to make sure I tried everything, and I mean _everything. _He ordered one of each thing off the menu and insisted that even if we just take one bite of each it would be worth it.

"First, a toast," he said after pouring us each a shot of sake and making sure we each had a glass of beer poured. "To a first date that I never thought I had a chance of getting," he so charmingly said with that perfect smile.

"Cheers," I chuckled and took the shot feeling the warm liquid go down my throat. It was honestly a lot better than I remember especially when it was followed with the contrast of the cold beer. "So, what should I try first?"

"Well," he laughed and I shot him a glare as his eyes were glued to my sad attempt to hold the chopsticks. "Before you eat, you need to learn how to old those."

"Don't make fun of me," I feigned hurt.

"Here, let me help you," he said and reached across to take my hand in his. His hands were warm and comforting around mine. "You want to hold the first one like this, almost like a pencil," he instructed and placed the stick in my hand. With his left hand, he grabbed the other stick and slid it behind. "Good and you want this one to rest behind and guide it with your thumb and ring finger."

"Like that?" I said proudly when I was able to move them, with his assistance of course.

"Exactly. Now, grab that rice with the spicy tuna on top. We'll start off easy."

I moved the chopsticks to the dish he mentioned and with all the concentration in the world went to adjust the sticks in my hand so that I could grasp the rice. I started to lift it and was so excited that it was actually staying there except I think I celebrated internally too soon because next thing I knew the rice fell right in front of me on the plate, splattering the spicy tuna everywhere.

"Not bad!"

"I dropped it, how is that _not bad,_" I said with a slight pout.

"Trust me, that's a hell of a lot better than my first time. You just squeezed too much so the chopsticks crossed. Hold it a little lighter and you'll have it," he encouraged and with that, I had the courage to try again. And to my delight, it worked! I was able to get the food from the plate and into my mouth successfully.

"Awesome!" He said reaching his hand out for a high five. _Such a dork, _I smiled to myself. "What do you think? Good, right?"

"Honestly? Yeah. It is good. Actually, it's freaking delicious," I said shocked that I was enjoying raw fish.

"Knew you would like it," he said proudly. "Okay, let's try this one."

/

"Tell me something about yourself," he asked once we took a break from our food tasting. "I know that's a weird question and sounds a little like an interview but, for real. Tell me something about yourself. Something no one would expect."

_Well, let's see. I'm almost forty, divorced oh and I have a kid who is in college. Yeah, can't say any of that. _

"Hm, something about myself. Maybe some of my friends _would_ expect this, but I wrote a novel in college."

"A novel? Like a real novel?"

"Yes. Like a real novel," I chuckled.

"Did you get it published?"

"No way," I said. "It wasn't that good. Just something I did for myself in college."

"Who said it wasn't good. You? Come on, I'm sure it's amazing especially from what you've told me about your classes and how much your teachers loved your work."

"Yeah, but it was just a stupid novel I wrote in college. It was a long time ago," I shrugged.

"Yeah. _So _long ago. What like 4 years ago?" He laughed taking a sip of his beer. _Shit, that's right. I'm supposed to be young. _

"Well, it _feels_ like a long time ago," I said. "Your turn."

"Fine," he said thinking about something to share with me both of us wanting to get to know each other better. "I'll tell you _two _things," he said smartly and I rolled my eyes bringing the glass of beer to my lips and sitting back to hear this. "I played a lot of sports growing up so you can just imagine how many times I ended up in the emergency room for some sort of injury," he started. "My poor parents. Anyways, it was my junior year in high school and our team made it to the championship game. It was tied one goal apiece and only five minutes left of the game when I had a wide open shot, or so I thought. I wound up and when I make contact with the ball, the defender slid right into my thigh and completely shattered my femur. And when I say shattered, I mean shattered. You should've seen the x-rays. It was insane! Anyways, that was the end of my soccer career."

"That sounds painful! And so sad," I said feeling bad for him and the timing of the injury.

"It's okay. Want to hear the best part?"

I nodded in anticipation not knowing what could possibly be the best part of this tragic story. "I totally scored the winning goal," he smirked leaning back in his seat.

"Of course you did. You sound so proud of yourself," I joked giving him a hard time.

"Hell yeah! We won the freaking championship! It was awesome! The two surgeries I had after weren't as awesome but whatever. That injury is what really got me into photography more and it became something I really loved."

"Silver lining."

"Yup!"

"You said you had two things," I said.

"That's right," he started again. "Well you know I traveled a lot after college." I nodded remembering him telling me about that. "I stayed in this village in Africa and lived with the natives for two weeks. It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life."

"That sounds amazing," I said astonished. The more I got to know him another layered was peeled away and he became even more interesting than I thought. The rest of dinner went off without a hitch and we completely lost track of time as we sat there for hours exchanging stories of our lives and our past just getting to know each other better. It was one of the best dates I had ever been on in my entire life and as time went by I thought less and less about all my other horrible experiences. Maybe that curse was finally broken.

The weather was absolutely perfect outside as we walked the streets of Los Angeles. The nightlife was always something I loved about this city. We strolled hand in hand when we stopped in front of a dark studio.

"Why'd we stop?" I asked as I looked up to him to see him staring at the vacant studio.

"Can I share something else with you?" He asked in a quieter tone.

"Of course," I said hoping that he knew he could share anything with me.

"I bought this space," he said not taking his eyes off the locked door.

"You did?" I asked.

"Yeah," he sighed. "I walk by it every chance I get and think about if it's the right thing to do."

"What do you plan on doing here?" I asked eager to find out.

"I want to open up a studio. Almost like an art gallery for my photographs," he said quietly almost as if he was unsure.

I squeezed his hand for what felt like the millionth time that night and waited for his attention to turn to me. When I was met with his soft green eyes I continued, "I think that's an amazing idea."

"Really? But you've never seen my work. How do you know it's any good?" He said lightheartedly.

"Kind of like you knew my novel was good. I just do and I think this is a great thing for you," I said softly.

He didn't speak, just stared into my eyes as I got lost in his. "You really are something else, you know that?" He half whispered. His hand grazed the side of my cheek as he tucked a piece of stranded hair behind my ear, finally resting his palm against my face. I felt my breath hitch in my throat unsure if I was reading the signs right. The last time this happened I was eighteen years old. But I did read the signs right. He started to lean in and I closed my eyes immediately, waiting for the feel of his lips against mine. When they finally met, it was as if something woke up inside of me, something that had been dormant for so long, something that had been waiting to be pushed out. It wasn't a heated kiss and he wasn't pushy. It was sweet and warm and filled with emotion.

When he pulled away, he made sure to keep his hand against my face keeping our faces close. "I hope that was okay. I wasn't planning on doing that until I dropped you back at home. You know, a proper first kiss on a proper first date."

"That was more than okay," I said our breaths mixing together because of our proximity.

"Good, because I want to do it again," he said and didn't hesitate to lean back in.

As promised he drove me back home and walked me to the door, leaning in for another kiss goodnight promising to call me tomorrow.

I did it. I had a first date that was one of the best dates of my life. I was on cloud nine and apparently oblivious to my surroundings as I walked through Rachel's house, past the kitchen and living room and straight to my room.

"Brittany!"

"Huh?" I said in a daze as I turned to the door.

"I've been calling your name since you walked in."

"Oh, sorry. I was, uh, distracted," I said knowing I wasn't hiding my puppy eyes.

"So, the date. That good, huh?" She asked knowingly.

"Rachel. It was incredible. I felt so alive. I ate sushi! Me. Sushi. And we talked about everything. And yeah, sure, it was a little hard to make sure I didn't say anything that gave my age away, but I think I really like him, Rach."

"I'm really happy for you, Britt. You deserve to enjoy your life."

"Thanks. I just don't know how this is ever going to work. The more I get to know him, it just makes lying to him that much harder," I said sadly. "I don't want to hurt him."

"I know, sweetie. But take it slow. Enjoy this time with him."

"I guess so," I said my body still buzzing from the high I was on.

"We'll talk more in the morning. Night, Britt."

"Night, Rach. Love you."

/

Monday's sucked. But this Monday felt a lot lighter than usual. And I know it had something to do with the amazing date I had with Dominic just a few nights ago. Saturday, as promised, he called and told me how much fun he had with me and that he was planning on taking me out as soon as we had free time, both with busy schedules. Sunday was a lazy day and I spent most of it lounging around the house with Rachel.

"Good, you're in early," Quinn greeted me frantically the second I walked through the office doors.

"I get in at this time every morning. And hello to you too."

"No time for hellos. We have a meeting in five minutes."

"About what?"

"Who knows. Santana likes to have impromptu meetings to check in. Let's just hope no one gets fired this time."

Was she joking? I couldn't tell but regardless I didn't question her and followed her to the kitchen to grab coffee before making our way to the conference room and taking a seat next to Celeste.

"Bethany, do not speak unless spoken to and do not, I repeat, _do not _embarrass me," she said only loud enough for me to hear. I was so caught up in her tone that I didn't look up quick enough when a voice filled the room.

"Good morning everybody. Hope you all had a good weekend," the soothing voice said and that's when I looked up. She was honestly the most beautiful human I had ever seen, which I think was saying a lot because I had seen a lot of people in my life.

The woman's hair was pulled back into a neat and sophisticated ponytail and was paired with an elegant high waisted skirt and satin blouse. Her eyes were the deepest brown I had ever seen and her skin so soft I almost felt the urge to reach out and feel it.

Quinn nudged me from her spot next to me and had one word written on the notepad in front of her.

_Santana Lopez, _it read. So, this was Santana. My actual boss. Holy shit, was she beautiful.

"Quinn," her voice filled the room again. "How is the deal going with the new author?" She asked and waited for Quinn to answer. The way she stood in front of all her employees was authoritative. From the side, I could see Quinn playing nervously with her pen. She must not have had good news for her and she definitely looked nervous to relay that message.

"We're working as hard as we can to get the rights to the full series," she said with a shaky breath.

"What's the hold-up?" She asked.

"She's hesitant to sign with us. Since it's not our normal genre," Quinn said her voice still not steady.

"That's bullshit. Quinn, get her on the phone and make sure I'm in the room. I want to speak to her directly," she said and Quinn just nodded clearly thankful to not get it worse.

"Okay. Any new manuscripts come through?" She asked the group.

I hesitated, remembering my directions of only to speak when spoken to directly but at the same time, I had come across a manuscript I found in Celestes' office that she had in a junk pile. For some reason, it caught my attention and I took it home and read it cover to cover in just two days. And it was good, really good and I felt that it would be a great fit for this company. Even though I hadn't been here long, I had a good feel of what they stood for and new this would be the right novel for us.

"I do," I said not fully trusting my voice. The office got quiet and all eyes were suddenly on me, including Santana's.

"Who are you?" She asked. Her voice wasn't rude and she had every right to question who I was considering this was the first time we were meeting, and I wouldn't even call this a proper meeting.

"She's just my assistant. I'm sorry, Santana. Disregard," Celeste was quick to jump in.

"What's your name," Santana asked locking eyes with me and for a second I forgot what my name was. What was it about her that got me so tongue-tied? And was the heater on in here?

"It's Bethany," Celeste chimed in yet again speaking on my behalf.

"Actually, it's Brittany," I said suddenly finding my voice.

"Okay, Brittany. And you are Celestes' new assistant?"

"Yes, ma'am." _Ma'am? What the hell, Brittany, _I scolded myself internally.

"Please, no ma'am in this office. Just Santana. And this manuscript. Where did you get it from?" She continued to question.

"I found it in the junk pile in Celestes' office," I said worried that I might have said too much. I'm definitely going to be fired by the end of today. I might as well keep going at this point. "It's really good. I'm not sure why it was in the reject pile. I read it in two days."

"Bring it to my office this afternoon. Two o'clock," she said before addressing the rest. "Get back to work everyone!" And she walked out.

"What the hell was that! Did I not tell you to just sit there and not speak?" Celeste scolded me.

"I'm sorry," I said half-assed.

"Whatever. Good luck with, Santana. You better pray that it's as good as you say it is. Otherwise, I can't promise that she won't fire you," she said and walked out.

"Way to go, Brittany!" Quinn said. "I've never seen a newbie speak out in a meeting like that before."

"Thanks? I think?"

"If that manuscript is as good as you say, then definitely thanks."

"So, Santana. She's like really attractive," I said trying to sound nonchalant.

"You got the hots for her?" She teased.

"No," I said quickly. "She's like _old,_" I said hoping that would help my case. She definitely was not old. We had to be around the same age. "Plus, I'm seeing someone."

"Right, the hottie bar owner. How is that going, by the way?"

"Great. We had our first date on Friday,"

"Tell me all about it over lunch?"

"Sounds good," I said and went back to work. I grabbed the manuscript I was keeping in my drawer and skimmed through it hoping that I didn't royally screw myself over with opening my mouth. I guess only time would tell.

**This one took longer to get done! Life has been busy lately. I'm hoping to get the next chapter up sooner. Hope you guys enjoyed it and don't forget to review! :P**


	4. Netflix and Chill

**SO AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT, I HAVE REVISED THIS CHAPTER TO LESSEN THE INTIMATE SCENE BETWEEN DOMINIC AND BRITTANY AFTER SO MANY OF YOU EXPRESSED A DISLIKE FOR IT. **

**CHAPTER 4**

**NETFLIX AND CHILL**

Lunch with Quinn felt like a blur. After telling her about my date with Dominic I started to get nervous thinking about my impending meeting with Santana. She could've been talking about a murder for all I know and I wouldn't have heard her.

_What the hell were you thinking? You are the new girl, Brittany. You should have just sat there and listened. It was your first meeting!_

The minute we got back to the office, I went straight to my desk and pulled out the manuscript from my drawer. I think I heard Celeste bark some orders at me but I couldn't be bothered with anything she needed me to do. _Coffee? Get it yourself, bitch. Oh my god, Brittany. That was mean. _

I started to frantically flip through the pages but with my breathing starting to quicken, the words started to jumble. Thankfully, I've always been a detailed reader when looking at fresh work and the entire manuscript was marked up with notes and post its. That still didn't make me feel prepared for this meeting. Not only was it the first meeting as an employee here, but it was also my first meeting with Santana. The beautiful Santana. What was it about her that got my stomach flipping? _I'm so screwed. _

I glanced at the time and noted that I had an hour to be prepared. Not that I was going to be any more prepared than I am now. _Quinn. I need Quinn._ Because of being in my own head during lunch, not only did I not eat a single bite of my food, I also didn't think to ask Quinn for help.

"Quinn, bathroom. Now!" I said walking frantically past her desk knowing she would follow behind me without any question.

"Is everything okay? Oh my god, are you pregnant?"

"What? No!"

"Sorry, normally when a girlfriend drags me to the bathroom, it's usually to take a pregnancy test," she said shrugging.

"Not pregnant," I said still flustered. "_Definitely _not pregnant," I muttered to myself. "I need help. I'm completely freaking out over this meeting with Santana. What do I say? Do I wait for her to talk? What if she thinks the book is shit and I wasted her time. Oh my god, I'm totally getting fired today."

"You are not going to get fired, chill," she said calmly. "I mean, you said it was good, right?"

I nodded.

"Then you're fine. I've been to plenty of these meetings with Santana. Sure, she can be a little harsh and she definitely doesn't like it when someone wastes her time but she's a nice person and she really loves this company. So, like I said, you're fine."

"I'm fine," I repeated. "Totally fine."

"Go back to your desk, drink some water and remember to breathe. Now, if your little freak out is over, I have work to do," she said smartly and left me standing alone in the bathroom.

"You're smart. You know the book is good. You are fine," I emphasized as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. _God, I've lost it. _

The hour flew by and next thing I knew I was walking toward Santana's office. Her door was shut so I did what anyone would do and knocked, waiting for some kind of acknowledgment to enter.

"Come in!" Came the brunette's voice from the other side of the door. I took one last deep breath before moving my shaky hand to the doorknob.

"Brittany," she said in greeting with glasses perched on her perfect face. She definitely was not wearing those earlier and she looked really hot in them. _No, you can't have thoughts like that. Not now. _"Have a seat."

She took a seat across me in her lavish leather chair. I didn't have a chance to look around her office until now. It was simple. Large desk, computer but what stood out to me was the bookshelf along the side of the wall. What _really_ caught my attention was the condition of these books. You could tell these were her personal collection, most of them worn out from overuse. It warmed my heart knowing there were others out there that really cherished the beauty of a good book.

"Is that the manuscript?" She said breaking me out of my daze and pointing to the pages that rested in my strong grip.

"Ye-yeah," I stuttered. _Great, now you can't speak. _"Yes," I said clearing my throat.

"Tell me about it," she said leaning back.

I went on to explain the book and the parts that really captured my attention. I was surprised to see my confidence as the time passed and I settled into storytelling. The fact that Santana never took her eyes off me and seemed to genuinely be engaged helped calm my nerves. When I finished, I took a second to catch my breath, only then realizing how long I had been talking. It was silent for what felt like hours before Santana moved in her chair, resting her elbows against her mahogany desk.

"Interesting," she simply said. I waited for her to say something, anything else but it didn't come, not immediately at least. "I like it."

My eyes popped in shock at her response. Was I hearing her correctly?

"I don't know if it is exactly what we are looking for but based on your narrative, I like it." She pressed a button on her phone before calling Celeste into her office. Not a second later, like an obedient puppy, Celeste walked in.

"Yes, Santana?"

"I need you to work with the editing team and get me a finished copy of this," she said taking the manuscript off her desk and handing it to Celeste. "Get the author on the phone, I want to meet with him."

"Her," I interrupted to correct her.

"Excuse me, her. Set it up for tomorrow."

"Of course," Celeste said as she started to make her way out the door.

"Oh, and Celeste?"

"Hm?"

"You will be working with Brittany on this. Have her sit with the editors. I want her input as well," she said to my surprise.

"Santana, are you sure about that? We just hired her and she's _only _an assistant. Maybe she can-"

"I'm not looking for your input here, Celeste. Brittany will work with the editors. Understood?" Santana interrupted. "Great."

"Hope that's okay with you. You seem to really be invested in this book and I want to see how you can make it the perfect fit for us."

"Thank you, Santana. Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me yet. Prove that you can do it," she said.

I sat there dumbfounded. I couldn't believe all of this was happening. I was going to be editing a book, after all these years of being away from the job. Well, assisting, but still. This was freaking awesome!

"Well, that's all I've got. Looks like you've got work to do. I look forward to seeing what the final product is," she said standing.

"Yes. I look forward to working with the team."

/

To say my life became significantly busier was an understatement. I should have known better than to think Celeste would tone down her requests throughout the day. Between juggling her extensive list of things to do and working with the editing team, I didn't' have much time for myself.

I did manage to spend time with Dominic. I still couldn't believe that I was dating someone so much younger than me but after talking to Rachel I knew this was good for me. I felt lighter somehow and was enjoying life for the first time in a long time. After having multiple freakouts about the age difference, which Rachel so kindly would calm me down from, I was finally comfortable enough to relax and cherish the times we spent together. We went miniature golfing and walked the pier, went to art museums and visited the zoo.

Three weeks of editing and being at the office after hours, we finally had a finished product and Quinn thought this was the perfect time to celebrate. Santana had been away on a business trip the whole time so I was growing anxious for her return to show her the final edit. Quinn made sure that Dominic was able to come and was excited to bring her boyfriend along too. We agreed on drinks and decided on Dominic's bar.

"You ready, babe?" I heard Dominic call from the living room where he had been patiently waiting for the last twenty minutes.

"Yeah," I said as I walked out of my room after checking over my outfit one last time. "All set."

"Damn, you look hot," he said leaning in for a quick kiss.

"Thank you. Shall we?"

We walked the short distance to his bar, enjoying the summer heat. Dominic made sure a table was waiting for us for when we got there knowing that it would be filled with people.

"I don't think they're here yet," I said over the loud noise of the crowd.

"I'll be right back," he said before pulling out the chair for me like a true gentleman and leaving a sweet kiss on my cheek.

While I waited for Dominic to return, I spotted Quinn walking through the bar with a tall handsome guy with her.

"Quinn!" I waved her down.

"Hey, Brittany," she said leaning over to greet me with a hug. "This is my boyfriend, Elijah. Babe, this is Brittany."

"Nice to meet you, Brittany. Quinn has told me a lot about you," he said stiffly.

"Nice to meet you, too."

"So, where's Dominic?" Quinn asked as she took a seat across from me.

"He probably went to check on his staff," I assumed.

"He works here?"

"He owns it, actually," I said proudly.

"I told you that, babe."

"Don't remember," he said dismissively. The tone in his voice shocked me. I didn't know much about him except for the times Quinn spoke about him. Of course, anytime the blonde brought him up in conversation, they were of all praise and he was the _perfect _boyfriend. But just with this simple interaction, I was already getting the feeling that he wasn't as perfect as she thought. I looked up to Quinn and saw something behind her eyes I hadn't seen before, something that could be construed as sadness.

"Oh, that's okay. It's a cool place, right?" She said hoping to get him engaged.

"Yeah, it's alright," he shrugged as he casually glanced around the filled bar.

"Hey, guys!" Dominic's voice broke the awkward tension at our table. _Thank god. _"Quinn, nice to see you again. Hey man, Dominic."

Elijah looked up as if he was sizing Dominic up. It was strange to watch. "Elijah."

"Hope you guys like whiskey," he said before a bartender walked over four shot glasses filled with dark liquid. "This is some of our best and hard to find at other places."

"What is it?" Elijah spoke up yet again with the same tone. Almost like he was not impressed with anything. I took a moment to look him over, top to bottom. He was dressed in clean dark grey slacks and had on a perfectly pressed white button up. His shoes looked brand new and his hair was gelled back yet still showed his curls. He was clean shaven and had on a flashy watch. I think I remember Quinn mentioning that he worked in finance. I normally did not like making assumptions about people before I got to know them, but from just the last few minutes of being around him and taking into consideration his outfit and how he interacted with Quinn, I could only assume he was a spoiled kid growing up and had never known any kind of struggle in his life. But again, for Quinn's sake, I did not want to make any conclusions of his character.

"It's a rare single malt whiskey from Ireland. I think you guys will like it," he said grabbing a glass and handing it to me. "Here you go, babe. I know you'll like it. It's the same one I gave you when we met." I gave him a small smile, blushing at the memory of our first meeting.

"Wow, that's incredible. And that's saying a lot coming from me! I'm not much of a whiskey drinker but if every whiskey tasted like this I might be," Quinn said sweetly.

"Told you! I have more where that came from," Dominic said. I knew it was a gamble coming to his bar. Knowing the type of guy he was, there was no way he was going to let any of us pay especially because it was Quinn and he was aware of how close we had become. He was just _that _kind of guy- giving and considerate. It was a _very _attractive quality.

"I've had better," came Elijah's voice and I couldn't resist the urge to roll my eyes.

I watched as Quinn curled into herself. It was odd to see her act this way especially because it was the complete opposite of her character when we were alone. I couldn't hold back anymore.

"Oh yeah? What was it?" I asked. I knew whatever he said wouldn't mean anything to me but with Dominic's knowledge, I knew he wouldn't be able to bullshit his way out of this.

"I don't remember the name." _Of course, you don't. _

"Anyways, cheers to you, Brittany. Congrats on wrapping up the editing on your first project!" Quinn said raising her glass.

"Thank you," I said blushing.

"You are a badass, babe," Dominic said from his spot next to me. I noticed that Elijah was not engaged in our conversation, instead was typing away on his phone.

"I'm going to use the restroom."

"Sorry, he's a busy guy," Quinn tried to excuse his behavior. I felt bad for my new friend. She deserved better than this asshole.

He was gone for a while, long enough for us to get another round of drinks before he came storming to the table.

"Sorry, babe. Need to go. Something came up at work," he said.

"At this time?"

He didn't even have the audacity to look up from his phone as he continued to type. "Yeah, you know how it is."

"Yeah, sure. It's okay," she said looking defeated.

"Nice to meet you guys," he said quickly toward our side of the table. "Bye babe. I'll call you tomorrow."

Where could this guys possibly be going at this time of night? It made no sense. I just hope he wasn't out doing what I _thought_ he was doing.

"How about another drink?" Dominic said trying to pick up Quinn's spirit. I appreciated how attentive he was and was able to read the situation.

"Sounds good," I said and waited for him to walk away before talking to Quinn.

"So, Elijah seems," I started but paused looking for the right word. I didn't want to offend her by saying something out of line. Sure, we had grown close but our friendship was still new. "Nice," I settled with.

"Yeah," she responded without making eye contact with me. "He's not usually like this. I mean, he forgets that there's a world outside of work sometimes."

"Don't worry about it. I'm glad you stayed behind to hang out with us."

The rest of the night was much more enjoyable without Elijah hanging around. It was late and the bar was near closing when we decided to head out.

"Text me when you're home," I told Quinn when her uber arrived.

"I will. See you Monday! Thanks for the drinks, Dominic. Next time, my treat," she said.

"You got it. Have a good night, Quinn," he said.

We started making our way back to Rachel's, hand in hand. I was feeling the alcohol flowing through my body. I wasn't drunk but it was definitely affecting the way I was feeling especially when Dominic pinned me against the building and started to kiss me hungrily.

After making out like two horny teenagers, we pulled apart for air. He looked at me with a lazy smile. "Hey," he said.

"Hey," I replied back with a satisfied smile. We had been keeping our relationship PG up until this point mostly making out any chance we got. He did invite me to his place a couple of times but because of our busy schedules, we never had the chance to have a private moment together for things to escalate, not that I was rushing to do anything. It had been so long since I had been physical with someone. My sex life had run dry the last year of my marriage and before that, well I had only been with Aaron for the last eighteen years. It was strange to think of getting in bed with another man, especially one so much younger than me.

"Is Rachel home?" He asked boldly and even with the alcohol challenging my decision making, I felt the panic and heat rise in my body. I knew what that question insinuated and it made me nervous.

"Um, yeah. I think she was having a few friends over. I'm sure they are still here, they usually go late when she entertains guests," I quickly lied. I knew for a fact Rachel was not home tonight. She reminded me ten times before leaving that she would not be coming back until the morning and that if I was feeling frisky, yes, she used the word frisky, that I was more than welcome to invite Dominic to come up and have my way with him.

"Oh, bummer." I knew he was disappointed but he still acted like a gentleman and didn't push the matter further.

"I had a really good time tonight," I said and leaned in to kiss him again.

"So did I," he said against my lips not wanting to separate them just yet. "So, now that the big work is done, does that mean you'll have more free time?"

"I think so. I'm not sure how involved I'm going to be from this point on."

"Well, I'm headed to San Diego tomorrow but I'll be back Sunday. I'll call you then. Maybe we can grab lunch or go to that park you like so much."

"Sounds like a date."

"Goodnight, Brittany."

"Goodnight."

/

Sunday rolled around and it was nice to have a weekend where I wasn't stressing about going back to work or thinking about new ideas for the book. I had been texting Dominic throughout the weekend when he had some downtime.

"I really thought Dominic would've slept over Friday night," Rachel said from her spot on the couch not looking up from her book she was probably pretending to read.

"Yeah, he had to be up early Saturday for work."

"Is that so," she said this time looking up at me from across the room.

"Yup," I said looking back at my laptop.

"Britt."

"Hm."

"Britt, why haven't you slept with him yet?"

"Is everything about sex with you, Rachel?"

"No, it's not. But, hear me out. You like him, right? And you guys have been like dating for how long?"

"I don't know, like a month?"

"Okay, and it's been how long since, you know?"

"A year," I mumbled.

"A year? Holy shit. How do you survive? Sorry," she breathed. "So, why not take the plunge? He's not some random guy you're going to hook up with. You like him and we know he likes you. What's holding you back?"

"Everything," I blurted. "What if he looks at my body and sees my stretch marks? They are not sexy. And what if I'm not any good? I haven't been with anyone except Aaron for almost twenty years. I don't know. It just feels like a lot of pressure and I don't know if I'm ready for that."

"You are ready. Everything you're feeling is natural, Britt. But he's a good guy. And you don't have stretch marks. I've seen you naked. You're hot! Own it," she said. "You deserve to live your life."

"I know. And I'm doing the best I can."

"You are. And I'm proud of you for even opening up to the idea of dating someone his age. But I'm telling you, you have nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about," I repeated trying to believe her words.

_From Dominic: Hey pretty lady! I'm back and so tired. Any chance you'd want to come over and hang out at my place instead of going to the park?_

"Speak of the devil," I said. "He just texted me. He's back but too tired to go out."

"Oh, that's a bummer."

"He invited me to his place," I continued.

"Oh, did he now? Well? You gonna go?"

_From Dominic: I have a nice bottle of red wine and Netflix ready if you're interested ;)_

"He said he has wine and Netflix ready," I giggled.

"Oh, he is so setting the mood for some lovin'."

"Wine and a movie?" I asked naively.

"Uh, yeah? Netflix and chill, Britt. That's like practically code for sex," she said.

"No, it's not," I defended.

"Yes, it is. I think you should get off your ass, take a shower, take care of your situation down there and put on something cute and go over there."

"You are so annoying, you know that?" I said even though I knew deep down my curiosity about being with him was growing even with all my proclamations of not being ready. I was ready for that step. I still had my insecurities but I was crushing on him hard and ever since Friday night, thoughts about being with him in _that _way consumed all my thoughts.

"I know, but you love me and you know I'm right," she cockily said. "So, go get ready."

I rolled my eyes and got up off the couch, tossing a pillow in her direction before heading to my room to get ready.

_To Dominic: So interested. Send me your address. _

_From Dominic: Awesome! 3285 Pico Street. See you soon!_

Stripping out my clothes, I quickly hopped in the shower. "Take care of my _situation _down there," I huffed to myself as I repeated Rachel's words out loud. "What do twenty-year-olds even look like down there?"

"RACHEL!" I yelled loud enough in hopes for her to hear me from the shower. "RACHEL!"

"Are you okay?" She yelled bursting through the door.

"Yes, I'm fine," I said peeking my head out of the shower door. "What did you mean by taking care of my situation down there?"

"My sweet, innocent Brittany," she started. "Aaron might have been cool with the more _natural_ look but I think kids these days prefer a clean landscape if you know what I mean."

"Shave it?" I asked appalled at the idea.

"Well, I would normally suggest getting waxed but considering you don't have much time, yeah, I say shave it. Shave it all."

"Isn't that weird? I feel like I'll look like a newborn down there."

"Take it from someone who has been with a lot of women. It's not weird. It's not my preference but then again, I don't discriminate. I love all types of vaginas."

"Ugh, goodbye, Rachel!" I sang. "Okay, let's do this," I said to myself as I lathered myself up with shaving cream and grabbed my fresh razor.

Thirty minutes later, I was as clean as the day I was born and started to look through my closet for something to wear. I didn't want to go over there like I was asking for sex because I still didn't believe this whole _Netflix and Chill _thing Rachel was going on about. I decided on jeans and a tight fitted t-shirt.

"Alright, I'm out," I said to Rachel who was back on the couch watching tv.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," she teased me as I made my way to the door.

"Yeah, whatever. Don't wait up," I teased back throwing a wink in her direction. I hoped in my car and drove the few miles to Dominic's house. He lived a lot closer to Rachel's than I thought. I luckily found parking right outside his building and took a deep breath before calling him to buzz me in.

"Hey," he greeted as he stood waiting for me outside his door.

"Hi," I said leaning in for a kiss. I was nervous but I was also trying to do anything in my power to calm those nerves and just enjoy the night.

"Come in," he said taking my hand.

"Nice place," I told him as I looked around. For some reason, I expected to walk into some sort of bachelor pad but the more I took in, the more I was surprised to see a well-kept apartment.

"Thank you. Want a little tour?" I nodded and accepted his hand again as he walked me around. "This is the living room and through these doors is the patio. Here is the kitchen and through here is the best room of the house," he said as he pushed open the door to one of the bedrooms. It was set up like a legitimate darkroom and it completely took my breath away.

"Wow. This is incredible."

"Right? It's my favorite. I spend a lot of time here when I'm not working. I'll show you how it works someday."

"I'd like that," I smiled.

"And that door there is my room. And that's the whole place. It's not much," he shrugged.

"No, it's awesome. I mean, the darkroom. Nice touch," I nudged his shoulder. "Honestly? I expected to see like a beer pong table in the corner or something."

"If this was a few years ago, you might have," he chuckled. "I used to live in another place with two roommates and it would get a little out of control. It got to a point where I needed my own space, so I moved here a little after the bar opened," he said and I could hear the pride in his voice. It was an accomplishment for a young man his age to open a successful business and be able to afford such a nice place like his in the area that we lived in. "So, I promised you wine and a movie."

He led me back to the living room and insisted that I get comfortable on the very large sectional he had in the center of the room while he grabbed us a glass of wine. He joined me a few minutes later and went to grab the remote with one hand while he wrapped his free arm around my shoulders. I leaned into his shoulder while he started to search for something to watch.

"Anything, in particular, you want to watch?"

"Nope. Whatever you pick is good with me," I said as I took a sip of the delicious red wine. "Just nothing scary," I added quickly and heard him laugh from his spot next to me.

"Okay, nothing scary," he said as he went on to pick a comedy, making sure it wasn't something I had seen before.

About an hour into the movie and the bottle of wine practically finished, we sat comfortably on the couch, my legs tucked under me and my head leaning against his shoulder. His hand was lightly grazing against the skin on my arm when I felt a soft kiss against my head. I snuggled into his body even more at the action. I felt his chest heave as he took a deep breath before leaving another kiss but this time lower against my cheek.

When I turned, I was met with his sweet eyes and a hint of a smile before he leaned in an connected our lips. The kiss went from small pecks to more exploration as his tongue softly grazed across my bottom lip. I granted him permission immediately and moaned at the contact. This must have stirred him on as he rotated in his spot on the couch so that we were facing each other and much more comfortable. His hand slipped up and cupped my cheek as he tilted his head to have a better angle.

At some point during our heated make out, I ended up on my back with Dominic's strong body flush against mine. His hand was resting against the exposed skin on my hip from where my shirt had risen. He would squeeze it before letting up and rubbing his hand against the skin softly. I could feel myself getting turned on as the time passed but didn't have the courage to make the first move. But apparently, he had other plans as his hand started to slide up my body under my shirt stopping just short of my bra. My breathing became heavier and I was torn between the need to feel his touch and the need to curl up and hide away avoiding what was inevitably to come.

He took a second to leave enough distance between our faces. "Is this okay?" He whispered. When I looked up into his eyes, I saw a softness I hadn't seen before.

"Ye-yeah," I said still unsure. He nodded before leaning down again for a brief kiss. He started to lift my shirt. My body started to act on its own accord as my arms lifted to help him remove the shirt completely. Once it was thrown to the floor, his lips moved to my neck and down to my exposed collar bone, his hand simultaneously dragging down the straps off my shoulder. I was so turned on but the second his hand cupped my still covered breast, my eyes flung open and all of the self-conscious thoughts I was having came flooding back.

"Wa-wait," I stuttered. "Wait," I said again and he looked into my eyes worry written all over his face.

"Sorry," he said immediately lifting his entire body off mine so that I could sit up. I quickly grabbed my shirt off the floor covering my upper body. He looked defeated and I immediately regretted stopping him.

"No, I'm sorry," I said quickly.

"Why?" He said avoiding all eye contact with me.

I reached over and took his face in my hand, turning it so he would look at me. "Dom," I started unsure of what I was going to say. "I- I want to _be _with you but I-"

"No, it's okay. You don't have to explain."

"I do," I said. If I couldn't be honest with him about my age, the least I could do was be honest about why I was acting the way I was. "It's just, it's been a while since, well _you know," _I trailed off looking away to avoid looking at the shock on his face.

"Hey," he said this time grabbing my face to face him. "Don't shy away from me. You know, I haven't been with anyone in a while either."

"You don't have to say that to make me feel better," I laughed.

"I'm not. I'm serious," he said taking a deep breath before continuing. "Um, four years ago I started dating this girl. It got serious and a year later we were engaged. Everyone freaked out and told us we were too young but I didn't care. I was in love with this girl. We planned on having a long engagement and all that just to give us time to start our careers. But somewhere along the way, she started to change and was spending a lot of time at work. She passed the bar the year before we were going to get married and I knew that she was going to be busy and I was never the type to nag about spending time together but the time we were spending together I could feel she was distant. Anyways, one night I was sitting at home with my roommates and knew she was working so I decided to go surprise her with coffee. Well, I was the one surprised that night," he said.

"What happened?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"She was having sex with her boss. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Apparently, it was going on for six months and I had no clue. I broke off the engagement immediately and just kind of focused on opening up the bar. My buddies tried to get me to date but I just wasn't into it."

"I'm sorry that happened to you."

"It's not your fault. But um, I just haven't been intimate with anyone since then," he said shyly. My heart grew in size at his vulnerability and I couldn't resist the urge to kiss him, so I did.

I know I caught him off-guard when I practically attacked him but he sprung into action quickly. I tossed the shirt to the side and straddled his lap. I knew he was hesitant to touch me at first so I encouraged him by lifting his hands and wrapping them around my bare waist.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm so sure," I said confidently for the first time that night. "I want this."

"I want this, too," he said and stood up holding me in place as my legs wrapped around his waist. He walked us back down the hall and fumbled with the handle of his door before moving the small distance toward his bed. I couldn't believe this was all happening.

He laid me down and gently moved his body so that it was once again lying flush against mine, much like it was earlier in the night. He sat up between my legs on his knees and with one swift motion took his shirt off and for the first time I saw the strong muscles I had only pictured in my head.

He smiled as he leaned down to connect our bare chests for the first time. This time, when his hand went to the strap of my bra I didn't stop him. Soon, we were lying with our top halves exposed and the feeling of his warm skin against mine was something I couldn't describe. He started to lower his kissed down my body as he lavished my breasts making sure to pay attention to each equally. A moan escaped me as he took my sensitive nipple into his mouth lightly biting it with his teeth. _God_, I was so turned on. As he moved down further, dragging his tongue against my skin along the way, my body started to squirm in anticipation of what was to come next. He was so gentle with his touch yet applied enough pressure to the spots that mattered most. When I opened my eyes to see what he was doing, I was briefly shocked to see his hands hovering over the button of my jeans. For a second, I felt panic rise back up my spine but told myself to breathe and gave him a small nod.

My jeans were long gone as we continued to kiss. I grazed my nails against his back before moving to his butt to push his body into mine, looking for some kind of release. Wrapping around to the front of his jeans, I toyed with the button and after fumbling for a second was able to free his waistline. He noticed my struggle and stood up to take his pants off.

He was so gentle with every touch, with every kiss and I knew as he continued to worship my entire body all thoughts of feeling any kind of regret about tonight slipped away. I couldn't hold back the moans as he continued to work me up in the best way.

"You feel so good," he moaned against my ear before kissing against my pulse point.

I couldn't string together a coherent sentence from the increasing pleasure that was building slowly deep inside of me. Instead, I guided his face to mine and kissed him against his lips, trying to convey everything I was feeling. Everything about it was gentle but still held an increasing desire for each other as we both exploded with pleasure.

He collapsed immediately on top of me, our sweat mixing and our hearts beating against each other. I had never felt so alive.

He moved again as we lazily kissed to come down from our high .I curled my body into his as he laid on his back, quickly wrapping his arms around my bare frame.

"Was that okay?" He asked, his voice laced with hesitation.

"Definitely," I said confidently.

We laid there in a comfortable silence as his hand moved up and down the skin on my back.

"Hey, Brittany?"

"Hm?"

"Be my girlfriend?" And it was the sweetest thing I'd ever heard.

"Really?" I asked.

"Really."

"Okay."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. I'll be your girlfriend." And next thing I knew I was on my back again and being ravished with kisses.

Because it was Sunday, I knew I needed to get back home. As much as I would've liked to stay hidden away in his bedroom for the foreseeable future, the real world was calling. I reluctantly got dressed and kissed him goodnight.

Once I had a moment to myself, I started to truly think what this all meant. For him, for me, for us and the more I thought about it, the more I felt a knot grow in the pit of my stomach. _I'm lying to him. What am I doing?_

I knew our relationship had an expiration date, it had to. It wasn't fair to drag him down deeper with me and my messy life. But I was really enjoying this time with him and after tonight, I knew I was digging myself into a deeper hole, a hole so deep that I wasn't sure which way was out.

I was exhausted when I walked into Rachel's house a little after midnight but my mind was racing and I knew I wouldn't get much sleep tonight. The house was dark as I made my way through the house, dropping off my purse and keys on the kitchen counter. I didn't even bother going to my room since sleep was the last thing on my mind and went straight to Rachel's not even concerned if she was awake or asleep.

"Rachel," I said as I tried to adjust to the darkness of her room.

"Britt? You okay?" She said reaching over to the lamp on her nightstand.

"Yes. No. I don't know," I said quickly as I held back tears.

"Honey, what happened? Did Dominic hurt you?"

"No, he didn't. He's perfect and I'm just the bitch who is going to ruin his life."

"Sweetie, you are not a bitch. What happened tonight?"

"Well, you would be happy. We had sex."

"Okay, was it bad or something?" She asked and I knew she was concerned.

"It was amazing. I freaked out at first and blurted that it had been a while. But then he opened up to me about his past and made me feel really comfortable and it was perfect, Rachel."

"Then what's the problem?" She timidly asked.

"He asked me to be his girlfriend," I told her.

"And what did you say?"

"I said yes. But, I don't know what I was thinking. Why would I agree to be his girlfriend when I am lying to his face about everything? This isn't just about getting a job anymore. This is another person's life that I'm messing with, Rach. I don't know what to do." The tears were flowing at this point and I couldn't hold anything back as I started to hyperventilate.

"Sh, it's okay. Hey, look at me," she said softly as she reached for my chin, gently wiping away the tears with the pad of her thumb. "I know lying is eating you up inside. But maybe soon Dominic will see how special you truly are and you'll feel comfortable enough to tell him and he'll understand-"

"No, he won't. It'll crush him," I said knowingly. "I need to tell him before it's too late."

"It's late and you've had a big day. Why don't you go wash up and sleep next to me tonight? We'll figure this out tomorrow."

"Okay. Thank you, Rach. For everything."

"Don't thank me, Britt. You're my best friend. I would do anything for you."

Sleep did not come easily that night and I knew there was only one way to fix it. I had to come clean.


	5. Babysitters Club

********Authors Note****** Brittana is endgame! The Dominic storyline is important to the progression of Brittany. Hang in there! There is a happy ending, I promise! As always, I appreciate the reviews (positive/negative)! Thank you to all the readers who are following this story and hope you're enjoying it so far. **

**CHAPTER 5**

**BABYSITTERS CLUB**

The plan of coming clean to Dominic consumed my every thought. It was impossible to think or focus on anything else. It had been a few days since Sunday and I still hadn't had a good opportunity to talk to him. Sure, maybe some of the reason was pure avoidance on my part but also with Santana back in the office work had picked up yet again.

"Brittany, Santana needs you in her office," Celeste said with a snarky tone.

"Now?" I asked.

"Yes. Now," she snapped back. I stood up quickly not wanting to interact any further with Celeste and made my way to Santana's office. I hadn't seen her since she returned from her extended business trip.

I knocked and opened the door once I heard her voice from the other side.

"Brittany, come in." I did as I was asked and took a seat in the same chair I sat a few weeks back. "How has everything been with the book?"

"Good. We have a final product and feel really good about it," I told her confidently.

"Good. That's what I like to hear. So, now that I'm back, I'll be taking over the project from here." I figured she would take over closing the final edits and finally publishing the work. "But I'd like you to still work closely on the project. You'll be my right-hand man until this book is on shelves."

_Santana's right-hand man? Holy shit. I wonder if Quinn had ever worked with Santana this closely. I can't believe this is all happening so fast, _I thought to myself.

"I hope you're ready for this. It's going to be a lot of late nights in the office," she continued to speak.

"I'm ready," I told her assuredly.

"Good. We'll meet again at the end of the week and discuss the work that needs to be done."

"Okay. Thank you, Santana."

"Don't thank me. You've proven yourself so far. This is just your hard work paying off."

I smiled and took in her praise before leaving her office. It was Thursday night and I was starting to go crazy thinking about Dominic. We had spoken over the phone the past few nights but I knew I was being distant and I think he was starting to sense it too.

_From Dominic: Hey babe. Any plans tonight? _

His text was simple. Truth be told, I didn't have any plans and I knew tonight was the night. I needed to tell him the truth. I could only hope that he would forgive me.

_To Dominic: No. No plans. _

I waited for him to respond as I sat on the couch alone in Rachel's house. She was out on a date with some girl she met at the diner.

_From Dominic: Want to come over? I miss you._

I sighed when I read his text. I missed him too but I felt guilty saying that to someone I knew I was about to hurt soon.

_To Dominic: Yeah. I'll be over soon. _

I reluctantly stood up and made my way to my room to get myself together. I kept playing out every scenario in my head of how tonight would go. I thought about how I would even bring up the conversation. _Hey babe, by the way, I'm almost forty. Oh, and I'm divorced and have an eighteen-year-old in college. _This was going to be a long night.

As I finished getting ready, I grabbed my keys and started to walk out the door. Just as I was about to leave I heard my phone ring. I looked down and was surprised to see Celestes' name across my screen. _Why was she calling me at 7 o'clock on a Thursday night? _I mean, sure, I was used to her texting me outrageous things but never calling me.

"Hello?"

"_Brittany. I need you to go to the address I just sent to your phone."_

"Um, okay. Why? And who's address is it?"

"_Hope you're good with kids. Santana's babysitter is sick and can't make it. She needs to be at a gala dinner in an hour and is desperate. She called me freaking out and now I must deliver. So, like I said, you need to go to the address I just sent you. Now."_

_Babysit Santana's kids? _I thought to myself. _No pressure at all, _I rolled my eyes.

"Fine," I said through the phone as I checked how long it would take me to get to her house. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."

I hung up, not waiting around for a response from Celeste and quickly called Dominic. I felt relieved that something came up once again avoiding having the difficult conversation with him and yet I felt heavier than ever. Yet another day would go by with this secret and at this point, it was chipping away at my sanity.

"_Hi, babe. You here?"_

"No. Actually, something came up with work."

"_Oh," _he said sadly._ "What came up?"_

"Well, you know how Celeste is a crazy bitch and if you say no to her, you could lose your job?"

"_Yeah," _he said giggling a little. That made me feel a little better knowing he wasn't upset at me.

"She called me and apparently Santana's babysitter can't make it so she asked me to do it."

"_Sounds like fun. What time do you think you'll be done?"_

"I don't know. There's some kind of gala she needs to go to.

"_Hm. Well, text me when you're done. If you're not tired, come by. I'll be up."_

"Okay. I'll call you later."

I made sure to pull up the address on my navigation and made my way to Santana's house. The drive wasn't too bad if you don't count the usual LA traffic. As I turned into her neighborhood I noticed the houses increasing in size. They were gorgeous and my mouth dropped as I took in the sight of each one with their perfectly cut grass and landscaped lawns.

The navigation dinged when I reached Santana's house. Outside there was a black Range Rover parked and a wooden antique swing on the side. As big as it was, it looked cozy from the outside. Aaron and I were never poor and he worked hard for our money at the beginning of our marriage. We were blessed to have a nice house for our family but I had never been to houses in the hills of Los Angeles. It felt like a different world up here.

I parked against the sidewalk, not wanting to take a spot on her cleanly swept driveway. I grabbed my purse and phone and made my way up the long entryway toward the door. I rang the doorbell and waited for Santana to answer the door.

"Brittany!" She said surprised. "Um, what are you doing here?"

"Uh, Celeste called me. She asked me to come over to babysit."

"Oh," she said still staring at me in shock. "Sorry. When I told her to help I didn't think she would call you. You don't have to do it. I can see if the neighbor's kid is around or something."

"No, it's okay. I'm here and I know you have somewhere to be. I don't mind."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," I said with a smile.

"Okay. You are a lifesaver," she said as she opened the door wider for me to come in. The minute I stepped in, I was awestruck at the sight of the entryway. There was a large round medallion placed in front of the grand staircase. It was extremely elegant with fresh flowers set in a large glass vase. "So, the kids already had dinner. Bedtime is at nine, although they will tell you it's later. Don't listen to them. Um, I have my number for you here, just in case. Am I forgetting anything?"

"The kids?" I giggled. "Where are they?"

"Oh, duh. Right. Gabbie! Niko! Come downstairs, please!"

At that, I heard little feet start to run down the hallway and make their way down the stairs both of them sliding against the tile with their socks.

"Brittany, this is Gabbie and Niko."

"Hi, guys," I said kneeling to their eye level. They were the cutest kids I had ever seen and practically mini-Santana's.

"What do you guys say?"

"Hi, Brittany," they said in unison

"Okay, I'll be home later tonight. You guys be good for, Brittany, please. Niko, don't give her a hard time with the PlayStation and Gabbie, no fighting with your brother." It was so sweet to see Santana with her kids. It was different to see her as a mom than the usual work Santana I was accustomed to. "Give me a kiss," she said and bent down to embrace her children.

"Call me, if you need anything," she said standing back up and straightening out her black dress. It wasn't until now that I really got a good look at her. She was wearing a black tight strapless dress that hugged her curves perfectly. Her hair was curled in loose waves and pulled to one side. She looked stunning.

"I will. We'll be fine, right guys?"

"Yeah, mommy," Niko said.

"You look really pretty," Gabbie added. She must be Santana's little charmer.

"Thank you, baby. Love you both," she said before running out the door.

I took a deep breath before turning back to the Lopez twins. "So, what should we do first?"

"Well, usually mommy lets us have ice cream after dinner but she forgot tonight," Niko said mischievously with his sister smirking next to him.

"She did? Well, we can't let the night go without ice cream, can we? Let's see what you guys have," I said before they both enthusiastically grabbed my hands and led me toward the kitchen.

After going back and forth between the many options Santana had, Niko settled on the cookies and cream while Gabbie chose to stick with the traditional vanilla. I, on the other hand, went with a mix of rocky road and rainbow sherbet. The kids both made an animated disgusted face when they saw me scoop up the mixture but I thought it was delicious.

"So, we've had our ice cream. What's next? You guys have an hour till bedtime," I asked the two energetic eight-year-olds.

"Can I show you my PlayStation?"

"No, I wanna show Britty my princess house!"

The two started pulling me in different directions.

"Okay, okay. Let's slow down. How about we do a little bit of both? What do you guys think?"

"Mine first!" Niko screamed. His sister just huffed in her place as she crossed her arms across her small framed chest. It was crazy how much she resembled Santana. I could definitely picture the older brunette making the same gesture in a meeting when she was less than satisfied.

We made our way upstairs to the kid's playroom. It was such a cool room, one I wished I had as a kid. One wall was tastefully covered with floating shelves holding all sorts of books and the other wall had a flat screen TV where I assumed housed the PlayStation.

"What game are you playing?"

"Minecraft. It's my favorite," he answered as he took his spot on the green bean bag placed in front of the TV.

"Boring," his sister sang from the purple bean bag next to him as she played with the doll's hair in her hand.

"I'm sure it's not boring for him just like you like to play with your doll," I said hoping to diffuse an inevitable sibling fight.

I watched as Niko played, talking me through each step as he built something. I still wasn't quite sure how the game worked but he seemed to be enjoying himself.

"What's your dolls name?" I asked Gabbie, making sure to pay equal attention to the twins.

"This is Sandy. She's my favorite," she said proudly as she handed over the doll for me to hold.

"Niko, what do you say we check out your sister's princess house?"

"Fine," he said and turned off the game. As much as he fought it at first, he was very much into the little game we started to play, especially after he took on the role of the dragon trying to protect the castle from evil.

"Think it's time we get changed into our pj's and get into bed," I told them when I saw the time.

"Are you sleeping over too?"

"Yeah! We can have a sleepover. Mommy would love that," Gabbie said in agreeance with her brother. "She never has big people over!"

"Maybe another time," I smiled at them. A child's innocence was the best thing in the whole world. I loved being around kids again. But Gabbie's comment stuck with me. It was clear the kids recognized the lonely life Santana was living and somewhere dep inside, I felt sad for her.

After they brushed their teeth and were changed into their pajamas, I made sure they were each tucked into bed.

I went downstairs and grabbed the book I had in my purse as I made myself comfortable on one of Santana's many couches. It was just after eleven when Santana came home, moving quietly as to not make to much noise.

"Oh, hey," she said when she saw me sitting up with the book in my lap. "I didn't hear any noise and thought you might have fallen asleep."

"Nope. Just reading. I don't get a lot of time to read leisurely these days," I told her as I stood up expecting to leave now that she was home.

"What are you reading?"

I turned the book so she could see the cover. "A Discovery of Witches," I added.

"No way," she said before leaving. I was confused with her abrupt exit.

She came back into view holding a book and once I was able to see the cover, I now understood.

"I'm reading the same one," she said.

"Great minds think alike, huh?" I joked with her. It was refreshing to be around someone who appreciated books the same way I did. It was something I was not used to being the book worm in my group of friends. "It's late. I'm sure you're tired," I said as I moved to put my book in my purse.

"How were they? I hope they didn't give you a hard time," she said.

"They were great! You have two really good kids, Santana," I told her honestly.

"Yeah, they're not too bad," she smiled. "After the night I've had, I could use a glass of wine. Any chance you'd like to join me? I'd really like the company. I don't get a lot of time to myself with other adults," she said as she blushed at the admission. I was her employee at the end of the day and a young one at that in her mind.

I thought about the invitation. One glass couldn't hurt.

"Sure," I said as I sat back down.

"I'm going to check on the kids and change. I'll be back with the wine. Make yourself at home," she said as she made her way upstairs. "Hey, Brittany? I'm not your boss tonight. Okay? Just a friend enjoying another friends company."

I smiled and watched her walk away. _Friend. _

Fifteen minutes later, she returned with two empty glasses perfectly balanced between her fingers in one hand and a bottle in the other.

"Hope you like red," she said before placing everything on the table.

"Yeah. Red is fine. So, how was the gala?"

"Exhausting. But it's good to get our name out there. We've been donating to this charity for years. It's something I make a point of going to every year. Which was kind of the reason for panic when the babysitter bailed. Normally, I would ditch the event but this one I just couldn't."

"Well, I'm glad I was able to help," I said as she handed a filled glass to me. "That's really good wine."

"It's my favorite. I'm kind of a wine snob. I just don't get a lot of time to enjoy a glass. Between the company and the kids and having business meetings, time to myself is a little scarce, if you know what I mean," she said. "Which you probably don't," she chuckled. "Enjoy this time being young, Brittany. Because one day, you could wake up divorced raising eight-year-old twins all while trying to keep a family business afloat."

"Yeah, I know how that can be," I said and only realized what I said once it left my mouth. "I mean," I stuttered. "I could just imagine." But I could do more than just imagine. I knew exactly how she was feeling. Sure, I had Aaron around for Sam's childhood but the housework and the childcare was left to me as a stay at home mom. I could only imagine how Santana felt with juggling twins and an ever growing company. It was admirable to see how successful she was yet always found the time to be with her kids and give them love and support.

"Don't get me wrong. I love my kids. I dreamt of having kids my whole life. The day my wife and I, well, ex-wife, found out I was pregnant was one of the most beautiful days of my entire life. But life just gets hard sometimes, that's all."

"I know. You can tell how much you love them. Just from the little time I spent with them tonight, I can tell how much they love you, too. They talked about you a lot," I told her and that put the biggest smile on her face.

My phone rang from my purse but stopped before I could get to it. I grabbed it and put it on my lap just in case once I saw it was Dominic calling. I didn't want to be rude and answer a call while I was a guest in my boss's house, well _friend's_ house.

"Where'd you go to school again?"

"UCLA. Proud Bruin," I told her.

"Nice! UC girl, like me. I went to Berkeley."

"I almost went there! But when I went to visit the campus in LA, I fell in love."

"Yeah, UCLA has a gorgeous campus. I went for a visit too but that meant staying close to home. And teenage me needed to get the hell away," she laughed.

"I understand completely," I told her. "I could've stayed home too but I needed to get out of there. Growing up in a small town could be suffocating at times."

"Where did you grow up?"

"Small town in Ohio. Lima, Ohio."

"Never heard of it," she said taking a sip from her glass.

"I'm not surprised. Me and my best friend both applied to a bunch of colleges in California and vowed that we would move out there together."

"And I see that you did," she said with a warm smile.

"We did. She went to USC for theater arts and I chose UCLA. Best decision of my life," I said.

My phone buzzed again, this time with a text message from Dominic. I opened it to see if everything was alright.

_From Dominic: Hey babe. Just wanted to see how your night was. Call me when you're done._

"Boyfriend?" She questioned.

"Uh, yeah," I said.

"I'm sure you have better things to do than sit with an old lady drinking wine," she joked. "Plus, it's getting late."

"Yeah, I should get going. You know, my boss would probably prefer I didn't show up to work tired and hungover," I teased. "Thanks for the wine," I told her politely.

"It's the least I could do for what you did for me tonight. Thank _you, _Brittany."

"Anytime. So, I'll uh, see you tomorrow," I said. This was always the awkward part. Goodbyes. _Do I go in for a hug, _I thought to myself. _No, that would be inappropriate. She was your boss, after all. Although, she did say you were a friend tonight. _This was just all too confusing for me.

"See you tomorrow. Have a good night, Brittany," she said as she opened the front door for me.

"You too," I replied and made my way to the car. I pulled away and started to drive down the windy hill. Once I made it to the bottom I pulled over to stop and call Dominic. I took a deep breath before dialing and thought of what I was going to say to him. Although the last few hours took my mind off what was inevitably waiting for me, it all came crashing back in an instance. I had to come clean before it destroyed me.

"_Hey. All done?" _

"Yeah. Just left. Sorry, I didn't answer earlier. I was talking to my boss."

"_It's okay. I know it's late but I still want to see you. Any chance you're up to come over for a bit?"_

I took a deep breath because I knew that we had two very ideas of what was to happen if I went over. "Yeah. I'm on my way now. See you soon."

It was late enough at night that the LA traffic had calmed. My heart began to pump harder as I parked and made my way to his building's entrance. The elevator to his floor felt like an eternity as I watched each number change one by one excruciatingly slow.

"Took you long enough," he joked as he greeted me, leaning in for a kiss at the same time.

I kissed him back but made sure not to let it go any further.

"You hungry? I just made myself a midnight snack," he said as he went to the kitchen to grab something.

"No. I'm okay. Thanks," I said as I sat waiting for him in the living room, nervously playing with my sweat filled hands.

"You okay?" He said clearly noticing my odd behavior.

"Huh? Yeah," I lied. _Don't be a coward, Brittany. _"Actually, uh," I started trying to find any kind of courage deep within myself. "We need to talk."

"Oh boy. I know what _that _means," he said as his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Did I do something wrong?"

"What? No. You've been amazing," I said immediately.

"Right," he said sarcastically.

"I need to tell you something. But I need you to promise me that you'll hear me out."

He looked genuinely concerned and nodded. "I promise."

"I just want to start by telling you how much you mean to me."

"You mean a lot to me too, Brittany."

"You might not feel the same in a minute," I muttered only loud enough for me to hear. "Um, so a couple of months ago I went through something. Something big and needed to find a job. But the problem was I couldn't exactly find a job."

"Okay. I don't really understand what you're trying to tell me," he said as we faced each other our knees touching on the couch. "Did you lie or something on your resume about your experience?"

"Kind of?" I questioned even myself.

"Brittany, I'm not going to all of a sudden change my mind about being with you because you tweaked your resume to get a job," he laughed.

"I didn't lie about my experience," I told him.

"So, what _did _you lie about."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes trying to calm my heart rate for the next part. "My age," I said and slowly opened my eyes to look for any sort of reaction.

His face went blank, his smile dropping immediately as I saw the words swirling around in his head trying to make sense of it all.

"Your age," he repeated.

"Yeah."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm not the age you think I am," I said slowly hoping he could piece things together.

"You're not," he said.

"No. I'm not."

"How old are you?"

"Thirty-eight." And there it was out in the open and for a second it felt like I could breathe again. Like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. Until now, the only person that knew about my double life was Rachel and I never, in a million years, thought that a white lie would turn into something so big. But then I met Dominic and everything changed.

"Thirty-eight? You're serious right now?" He questioned.

"Yes. Um, there's more," I said and noticed his face drop even more. "That big thing I was telling you about? Well, I recently got divorced from my husband of eighteen years. Uh, I have a daughter. She's eighteen. She goes to NYU."

He stood up at all this information and started pacing around the room. He was moving so fast and mumbling to himself.

"Dominic," I tried but nothing. He continued to move back and forth stopping every so often in deep thought before pacing again.

"Dom," I tried again. "Please. Say something," I whispered.

"Say something?" He said snapping his head in my direction. "What do you want me to say, Brittany? You lied to me. And you know what's worse? If you would've just told me from the beginning everything would've been fine. You think because of your age that I still wouldn't be interested in you?"

"I-I don't know. I thought you would think I was an old washed up girl. And it felt good to feel so young."

"That's ridiculous. You know what I _don't _like? Lying."

"I know. I'm so sor-"

"Don't. I think you should leave," he said as his eyes turned hard.

"Dom, we can talk about this. I'll answer any question you have. Just, please-"

"Brittany. Just," he sighed running his fingers through his hair. "Just leave."

I felt the tears building threatening to fall from the corner of my eyes. I knew this was no one's fault but mine and I deserved what was coming. I nodded and walked to the door quietly.

"I really am sorry," I whispered softly before finally leaving.

The second I got to my car the tears that threatened to fall just seconds ago flowed freely. Once I got myself together enough to make the short drive home, I was on my way. I couldn't get upstairs fast enough, time moving in slow motion and my head feeling like a ton of bricks. I walked through the front door and dragged my heavy body across the entrance and through the living room, mindlessly moving to my room, completely unaware of my surroundings.

"Britt?" Rachel called but I kept moving through my haze.

"Brittany," she tried again. I fell across my bed curling into myself as the night played over and over again in my head. The bed dipped but I couldn't bother turning to face Rachel.

"Sweetie. What happened?" She asked and waited patiently for me to speak as she rubbed her hand against my back trying to soothe me.

"I," I started to say as my cries softened. "I went to see Dominic. I told him everything."

"Oh, Britt." She quickly lied her body behind mine wrapping her arm around my waist pulling me into her for comfort. "I'm so sorry, honey."

I shook my head as I wiped the tears from my face and trying to catch my breath. "I deserve it. I'm an awful person, Rachel."

"No, you are not. You hear me? You are not an awful person. Far from it. He'll come around. I know he will," she spoke.

"I don't think so. You should have seen him. He was so hurt and betrayed. And he has every right to feel that way," I said as a new set of tears started to pour out.

"Sh. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay."

She stayed with me until my sobs turned into whimpers and we finally drifted off to sleep.

The next morning was a struggle. I had a pounding headache and was constantly checking my phone in hopes to hear from Dominic. But that never came. I tried to practice self-control and not blow up his phone. I could only hope that with time and space, he would find it within himself to forgive me.


	6. Stuck In Limbo

****Authors Note** I'm back! Sorry for the late post! I was out of town last week and again this week. But I managed to get a chapter done! Hope you guys enjoy and can't wait to hear what you all think :P**

**CHAPTER 6**

**STUCK IN LIMBO**

Dragging myself out of bed was difficult the next morning. Thankfully, it was Friday and that meant I could lock myself in my room all weekend. I walked straight to the kitchen the second I made my way through the front doors of L&L Publishing that morning, needing all the caffeine a human body could handle to get me through the day. I hardly got any sleep, tossing and turning the whole night, regardless of the strong grasp Rachel had on me. Every time I would open my eyes, I would see that another hour had gone by and I almost prayed that the sun would start to push through the blinds so I could get out of bed and get the day over with. Of course, I fell into a deep sleep right before my alarm went off making my morning routine even more excruciating.

"Morning!" Quinn said looking extra-chirpy this morning.

"Moring," I mumbled as I brought the cup of warm coffee to my lips.

"You look like shit," the blonde said as she leaned against the counter facing me with her own cup in her hand.

"I didn't sleep much last night," I said vaguely.

"Oh yeah?" She questioned through a smirk and I knew what she was thinking. "Late night with the _boyfriend?"_

"Uh, yeah. Sort of-"

"Brittany!" We both heard Celeste's voice fill the room. I internally groaned and rolled my eyes. I was definitely not in the mood for any of this today.

"The wicked witch calls," Quinn joked before she walked back to her desk.

I took a deep breath and gathered up enough energy to see what she needed now.

"What's wrong with you?" Was the first thing she said to me. "Never mind, I don't care. I need you to call that new sushi place on 1st and make a reservation for 8 pm for four. Also, we have a client coming in at one. Make sure they are comfortable."

"Sure. Anything else?" I tried my hardest to hold back my snappiness.

"Santana wants to see you in her office. That's all."

I dragged my feet to my desk and took a few more sips before looking myself over in a small mirror I kept handy on my table. _Did I really look that bad? _I quickly pulled out some concealer from my purse to cover the dark circles under my eyes in hopes that that would take care of the problem before I went to see Santana. She's the last person I would want to see me like this. What kind of message would that send her if I looked like I hardly slept and was barely awake at work?

"You wanted to see me?" I said as I peaked my head in her office.

"Yes. How are you?" She asked.

"Good. Thank you."

"Good. So, listen. We have this pile in the workroom that we were supposed to send to storage of all the manuscripts we've received. But I was thinking, what if there was a hidden gem in there? I'd like you to take a few home and see if you can find something that might fit for us. You did such a good job with the last one."

This was perfect. I couldn't think of a better thing to fill up my time this weekend and distract me from my life that was currently in shambles. _Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic but that's how it feels, _I thought to myself. "Yeah! I'd love to!" I said a little too enthusiastically.

"I've never met someone so excited to read," she chuckled. "Well, aside from me, of course," she said as she stood up from her desk. I had a chance to look her over and it was crazy how attractive she was when she wore a pantsuit. "It's really refreshing," she continued but I was too distracted with her appearance.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. That's me. Love to read."

"Thank you, again. This doesn't mean that you won't still be working closely with me on the other project. We begin final edits on Monday."

"Great. I look forward to it. I should, uh, get back to work."

"Right, of course," she said with a soft smile. "By the way, my kids wanted me to say hi. They really liked you."

"Aw. That's sweet. Tell them I said hi and that I look forward to playing princess with them again soon."

She raised an eyebrow that was paired with a soft smile. "Princess, huh? I'll be sure to tell them. I have a meeting on the other side of town this afternoon but I'll see you on Monday. Have a great weekend, Brittany."

"You too, Santana."

I slumped in my chair and pulled out my phone, mindlessly staring at it as if it would will a text or call from Dominic. But nothing. I sighed before deciding against my better judgment to reach out to him.

_To Dominic: I'm really sorry…_

I typed out the message ten times before hovering my thumb over the send button. Taking a deep breath I finally had the courage to send it and put my phone away, knowing if I were to keep it out I would drive myself insane staring at it.

The remainder of the day dragged on and I busied myself with mindless tasks and making sure that I had grabbed the pile Santana requested before heading home for the weekend.

The entire drive home I dreamt of taking a long hot shower and hiding under my covers for the rest of the night. I was thankful for Rachel staying with me the night before but I don't think I had the energy inside of me to talk about it anymore, not yet at least.

"Hey, Britt," Rachel said from her spot in the kitchen. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," I told her simply. "Thanks for yesterday, Rach."

"Of course. I'm always here for you. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really. I love you but I'm just so tired. I think I'm going to lay low in my room tonight."

"Okay. Let me know if you need anything. I'll be around."

I nodded and continued toward my room. I dropped onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling, taking a glance at my phone and still no response. I took a deep breath and tried to muster up enough energy to get myself in the shower before my phone rings. I've never felt my body move so fast as I fumbled my phone in my hands except it wasn't Dominic.

"Hey, baby!"

"Hi, mom."

"How are you?"

"Good! Sorry I haven't called this week. School has been insane plus since I joined that club I barely have any time."

"It's okay. I know you're doing your college thing. I don't expect you to call your boring old mom every day. I miss you though, honey."

"I miss you too, mom. So, how is everything in LA?"

"It's good. You know, same old. Tell me about school?"

"I love it here! My classes are amazing, well except for one, but I spoke with the TA and I should be able to pass. And I've met really cool people."

"That's so amazing, Sam."

"Actually, I was talking to this girl I met in one of my classes and she was telling me about this study abroad program they do through my major," she started to say. "I was thinking, I kind of want to do it. But I wanted to talk to you first, of course."

"Tell me about it?"

"Okay, it would start after winter break for the spring semester and I would get full credit for classes. It's in Germany but the only thing is that my scholarship money wouldn't cover it," she said.

"Oh. Um, how much is the program?"

"A lot?" She questioned. I knew she was having a hard time asking me and I was starting to worry about how much this was actually going to cost.

"What's a lot, Sam."

"Uh, twelve thousand dollars, a lot?" She mumbled.

"Holy shit! Twelve thousand?"

"Yeah, I know it's a lot but I've already applied for some scholarships. They don't offer any that can pay for the whole thing but the student advisor said that some can give up to fifty percent," she quickly added.

"Honey, that's a lot of money. You know after the divorce, money has been tight."

"I know. I have some money saved up from my summer jobs, too."

"I don't want you spending that, honey. Let me see what I can do, okay? I'm not saying no but I'm not saying yes,"

"Okay," she said sounding defeated.

"Sam, I'm going to try my best, okay? I know this would be a really cool experience for you. You just worry about applying for those scholarships."

"Thank you. You're the best."

"Uh huh," I teased her. "So, you are still planning on coming home for winter break, right?"

"Yup."

"Good. I'll look for flights this week. I can't wait to see you, baby. I love you. "

"I can't wait to see you too, mom. Love you."

_Where the hell was I gonna get the money she needed, _I thought to myself.

After my shower, instead of crawling into bed and sleeping away all my worries, I walked outside hoping to find Rachel.

"I didn't expect to see you again tonight," she joked.

"Yeah, I needed to talk to you about something. Want tea?"

"Sure," she said. I nodded and went to boil some water before moving to the couch to join Rachel.

"Thank you," she said taking the mug from my hand. "So, what's up?"

"Sam called earlier."

"How is she doing? I've been meaning to call her. I miss that kid."

"She's good. Loving everything about New York. But she mentioned a study abroad program she has been looking into."

"That's awesome! Where?"

"Germany. The only issue is that the scholarship she has now doesn't pay for it. She could apply for other scholarships but none that would pay for the entire tuition and housing."

"How much does she need?"

"I don't know? Around six thousand," I said.

"Shit," she said. "Do you have that kind of money?"

"Not really. The savings Aaron and I had is pretty much non-existent. I make decent money at L&L but nothing like that. What should I do?"

"I can look around and see if there is a temporary job or something," she suggested. "I would write you a check right now but I know how stubborn you can be. You would rip it up in my face."

"I can't take money from you, Rach. I need to do this for my daughter. For myself."

"Have you thought about calling Aaron? Didn't he take a new job in Arizona?"

"Yeah, he did. And last I heard he was going to therapy for the gambling issues. Doubt that did any good. But I know I need to call him. Let me know if you hear of any temp jobs."

"Of course. I know I probably shouldn't ask but have you heard from Dominic?"

"No," I shook my head. "Nothing."

"He'll come around," she said taking my hand in hers for comfort.

"Yeah, something tells me he won't."

"You just have to give him some time. You kind of dropped a bomb on him."

I sighed, "I know. I think I'm going to head to bed. It's just been a long couple of days."

"Okay. I'm gonna grab drinks with a friend but call me if you need anything."

I grabbed my laptop and started researching side jobs I could pick up to make some extra money. This was harder than finding a regular full-time job. After an hour of research and absolutely no results, I remembered Quinn mentioning something about a bartender. Sure, I had never bartended in my life but how hard could it be? Plus, from what I've seen at Dominic's bar, bartenders make a decent amount of tips.

_To Quinn: Hey, Quinn. You mentioned looking for a bartender for something a few weeks ago. Still looking?_

I scrolled some more waiting for Quinn to respond.

_From Quinn: Yeah! A friend of mine was looking for a private party. It's for a fundraising event for her company. You know someone who's interested?_

_To Quinn: Yeah...me._

_From Quinn: You? Really? Have you bartended before?_

_To Quinn: A few times. Nothing serious but some parties in college. _

It wasn't a _complete _lie. I _did _play bartender for a few parties Aaron threw but it was just me mixing liquor with some juice.

_From Quinn: Awesome. Let me talk to her and I'll let you know. The party is next Friday in Hollywood. _

_To Quinn: Thanks, Quinn! _

This was a start and I would do anything to get my baby girl the money for this experience and I would love to do it without Aaron's help.

Saturday morning I woke up feeling a little more like myself. After sleeping for ten hours, I also regained some energy I was lacking yesterday. I thought about getting out of the house to grab a cup of coffee before setting up on Rachel's balcony to begin sifting through the large pile of rejects Santana asked me to look through. A part of me thought it would be worth a shot to go to the same coffee shop that Dominic liked to visit but another part of me knew that I was playing with fire. He needed time and although I was dying inside to know what he was thinking and if we were even still together, I needed to give him that time and running into him would not be the best.

My brain was in overdrive and just thinking about Dominic and the small chance of seeing him again exhausted me. So much so that I scratched the idea of leaving the house in the first place and opted to use one of Rachel's many fancy coffee makers she had in the kitchen.

"Stupid machine. What's wrong with a regular coffee maker?" I said out loud out of frustration as I continued to press buttons.

"Hey, take it easy on the espresso machine. That thing was expensive," Rachel said as she sauntered into the kitchen.

"Well, it's a stupid machine. Don't you have anything that's easy to use?"

"All you had to do was ask. I'll do it. And don't take your anger out on my machine. It didn't do anything to you."

"Sorry. I'm just stressed with work and Sam and Dominic and I just desperately need coffee."

"Don't you usually go out for coffee?"

"I do. But then I thought about the time I ran into Dominic there and how often we would go there together and I just couldn't take the chance of seeing him."

"Right," she said as she handed me a freshly made latte. "What do you have planned for today?"

"Santana asked me to go through a pile of manuscripts they were ready to get rid of. I'm supposed to see if there are any hidden gems."

"Sounds fun," she said sarcastically.

"Tons. What about you? Hot date or something?"

"Not tonight. Think I'm gonna take it easy."

"That's different."

"Yeah. I kind of met someone so I'm trying to lay low. You know, stray away from my ways."

"Wow. You met someone? Why haven't you said anything? When? Where? Who is she?"

"Slow down with the twenty questions. It's very new and I met her a couple of weeks ago. She literally is the polar opposite of me but I really like her. I was going to tell you about her but I didn't want to jinx it and then the whole Dominic thing happened and I didn't want to, you know, shove my happiness in your face," she said quietly.

"Hey," I told her reaching over the island counter. "Don't ever hide what makes you happy because I'm being a debbie downer. Tell me all about her."

Rachel told me all about the new girl in her life as we enjoyed our coffee on the balcony taking in the beautiful weather LA had to offer. She realized she had been talking for an hour and apologized for taking time away from me to read books all day. The rest of the weekend went by as uneventful as I expected and by the time Sunday night rolled around, I had already breezed through four manuscripts. None of which I particularly liked.

I had my phone close by the entire time and it was still radio silence from Dominic. Before I went to bed I sent one more text to him.

_To Dominic: I miss you…_

Monday rolled around a lot sooner than I had wanted but I was excited to get the new work week started. Santana had mentioned starting on final edits and I was looking forward to working closely with her.

"Morning, Brittany," Santana's smooth voice came from above me.

"Morning, Santana."

"Have anything for me?"

"I went through a few but nothing that really stood out."

"I figured. It's not always easy to find something good. Keep reading when you have time. I'm sure you are busy most of the day but come to my office around four and we can start on the edits."

"No problem."

The day flew by and surprisingly Celeste was tame compared to most days. I only had to run out of the office once rather than the four times a day she had me chasing something down for her. This personal assistant stuff was starting to really get annoying. Lucky for me, she had an afternoon meeting out of the office and that gave me some downtime to do some reading.

When four o'clock rolled around I made a cup of coffee not knowing exactly how long we would be working and made my way to Santana's office. The door was open and I walked in.

"You can have one. And make sure you don't take your sister's away from her. Let me talk to her."

I turned around to walk back out to give her some privacy when she held a finger up to me and gestured for me to take a seat.

"Hi, baby girl," I hear her say with a warm smile on her face. "I miss you too. Be good for grandma. Love you."

"Sorry. I hate working late," she said as she put her phone away. "Plus, god knows if I don't talk to those two they can be a handful for anyone who watches them, even for my mother."

"It's okay. I'm sure it's hard to be away from them."

"It is. I try to be home as much as possible. I work from home a lot of nights but at least I'm close to them. You know? Dinner, bedtime all that fun stuff."

"Those are the best times," I said without thinking and she gave me a questioning look. "I mean, I can just imagine. I would want to do that when I have kids," I caught myself quickly.

"Yeah," she replied with a smile. "Anyways, get comfortable. My office is your office for the next few weeks."

I did as she said and realized how stiff I was sitting in the seat across from my boss. I stood up and looked around finally able to take in the old books on the shelves that caught my attention the first time I was in here. The shelves were filled with all types of books, new and old as I ran my finger across the spines of each one.

"You have quite the collection," I said as I kept my gaze on the books.

"Yeah," she said as she approached me. She stood next to me as our shoulders brushed, both our eyes glued to the books. "These two shelves here were all the books growing up I loved the most. I guess you can say they're my most cherished."

"You have extremely good taste in books."

"Thank you. This was the first book that I read cover to cover by myself. I was seven years old," she said as she grabbed the copy of 'Charlotte's Web' off the shelf.

"The pages look like they're barely holding on. How many times did you read it?" I teased her.

I saw her shoulders bounce from her laughter. "A few. Wait till you see this one," she said before grabbing another book. "I know it's cliche but I think this book was what made me fall in love with literature."

"It is a classic," I told her as I took the copy of 'To Kill A Mockingbird' from her hands. Some pages were not even attached anymore. I could just imagine Santana as a young kid finding any quiet place to read, getting lost in the fiction world. I could imagine it because I was that kid, too. "It's my favorite too."

"Tell that to my kids," she laughed. "They weren't the biggest fan when I tried reading it to them for the first time."

"Kids these days," I laughed with her.

"Yeah, kids these days," she repeated smiling at me before delicately placing the book back. "Let's get started."

A few hours in and I could tell we were both starting to get tired from reading the same pages over and over.

"I just," she started as she put the pages down. "It's not flowing. This part right here. Right?" She asked. At this point, we had both moved to the couch, shoes off and settled.

"I know what you mean. It's the most important part of the story but it's not hitting," I said as I started to think of ways to approach this change.

"You know what the problem is?"

"Hm?"

"Food. We need brain fuel. Do you like Chinese?" She asked as she stood up.

"Uh, yeah. I like Chinese."

"Good. There's this awesome place across the street." She picked up the phone and placed a delivery order. "Should be here in thirty minutes. How about we take a break till then."

"I could use a break," I smiled.

"So, how do you like working here? And don't lie just because I'm your boss," she added with a wink.

"I would never," I rolled my eyes playfully. "No but honestly? I love it. The beginning was, um, interesting. I was just happy to be working again."

"Again?"

"Uh yeah," I stumbled. "I had a job during college with the school newspaper and I just figured it would be fairly easy to find a job in the real world. It was a lot harder than I thought."

"Well, I'm glad we hired you. Celeste can be _difficult_ at times."

"She's not that bad."

"I try to keep her in check. She does it out of the goodness of this company but I know she can get a little out of control sometimes."

"I do have dreams sometimes that she just calls my name every five seconds," I joke. "_Brittany, where's my coffee. Brittany, call this guy. Brittany, Brittany, Brittany." _

"Stop," she said laughing so hard until she was curled into herself holding her stomach. "Stop. I can't breathe!" Then she stood up. "_Santana, I don't think this is the best idea," _she started walking around with one hand on her hip imitating her. "_I think we should go to the gala, together." _

"Someone's got a little crush on you," I teased.

"Shut up," she said playfully pushing my arm. "That would _never _work. Plus, she's not my type."

That intrigued me. _What was her type, _I wondered. I wanted to ask but knew that would be inappropriate.

"Foods here!" She said when she saw the alert on her phone. "Be right back."

The rest of the week was the same. Santana and I would work long hours locked away in her office, eating take out and editing all while goofing off. It was different to see this side of her and get to know her on a personal level. The more time I spent with her the more I found things we had in common. Things beyond our love for books. And it was refreshing to have a friend, a _new _friend.

As long as the work week was with the extra hours, it flew by and it was Friday before I knew it. The night that I would be bartending.

"Rachel!" I yelled from my room. I heard her feet pad down the hallway.

"Holy shit! Britt, you look fucking hot!" She said as she racked her eyes up and down my body. I was wearing a fitted women's suit with a white top that showed a tasteful amount of cleavage.

"I don't look ridiculous?"

"Uh, no. If you weren't my bestest friend and I wasn't totally into someone else, I would definitely try and get with you."

"Ew. But I guess I'll take the compliment," I joked. "Okay, I think I'm ready. Wish me luck!"

I rushed out the door and headed toward the event. It was taking place in a nice banquet hall in a hotel near Hollywood. I looked over the directions again of where to check in and parked in the back.

"Are you here for the event?"

"Yes. Bartender."

"Name?"

"Brittany Pierce."

"Here's your ticket. Show the guy at the door the left and they'll let you in."

"Thank you."

There were about ten bartenders all dressed in the same outfit.

"Okay, here's everyone's post. Split up and let Tim know if you run out of anything," the event coordinator said.

I found the bar that I was assigned to and the other two that I'd be working with. I introduced myself to them and watched them as they prepped their station. It seemed simple enough.

The night was flowing as I made cocktails for the guests. Listening to a few speeches, I realized the event was for a non-profit organization for kids with learning disabilities. Up until now, I hadn't thought to ask since my focus was on the job and the money.

The bar quieted down as everyone took a seat to enjoy the dinner portion of the event but soon after it picked up again.

"Vodka cranberry, please," the gentleman said dressed in a classy bowtie. "And a glass of red wine." I handed them their drinks and was pleased with myself as I got faster and faster as the night went on.

I was wiping down the bar when I heard my name. "Brittany?"

I looked up and was startled to find Santana staring back at me. "Santana."

"Uh, I didn't know you bartended," she said and I could see her trying so hard to not make this awkward.

"Yeah, kind of. It was sort of a last minute gig. Extra cash is always nice," I said through a nervous laugh.

"Right," she smiled.

"So, can I get you something to drink?"

"Oh, yeah. Yes. I'll have whiskey, on the rocks." So, she was a whiskey drinker. _That's hot, _I thought to myself before I shook myself and focused on pouring her drink.

"Here you go."

I watched Santana make her way back to her table. She was very close to the bar it was amazing that I didn't spot her before. Although, I was mostly focused on not messing any drinks up or spilling on anyone most of the night. But now that I knew, I found my focus moving to her more than once. She looked very elegant in her deep red gown as she mingled with others, a genuine smile spread across her face.

The bartenders had finished as we cleaned up our stations.

"Was it successful?" Came the smooth voice I was getting accustomed to.

"Yeah. Think so. Must be some wealthy people in here with the number of tips everyone got."

"Eh, some wealthy and some not so much. But glad it was a success. And your drinks were delicious," she complimented.

"Please, I didn't really do anything except pour whiskey into a cup," I blushed.

"Well, you are a talented pourer," she said making me blush. I tried to hide it because my boss should definitely _not _be making me blush. _Wait, was she flirting with me? _No, she probably was just being kind. I did work for her, after all. "Anyways, I wanted to come over and say goodnight. I've done enough talking for one night and it has been a long week. See you on Monday."

"Have a good night, Santana."

After cashing out my tips, I dragged my tired body to the car. Santana was right, it had been a long week. Working over 60 hours in the past five days and then coming here at night, I was ready to put my feet up and relax.

The drive was quiet and soothing. I dug my keys out of my purse as I waited for the elevator to open for Rachel's floor. My phone vibrated grabbing my attention as I blindly walked to the front door. It was a text from Quinn asking about how my night went and before I could respond I lifted my keys to put into the lock when a man sitting on the floor next to the front door startled me.

"Dominic?"

"Hey," he said as he slowly stood and looked deeply into my eyes.


	7. Winter Break

**I'M BACK WITH A NEW CHAPTER! **

**CHAPTER 7**

**WINTER BREAK**

"_Dominic?" _

"_Hey," he said as he slowly stood and looked deeply into my eyes. _

"Wha-, uh, what are you doing here?"

"I," he started before pausing to take a deep breath. "I don't know."

"Um-" I wasn't sure what to say. He was here, standing at my door after a week of complete silence.

"I needed to see you and I know I shouldn't have come but I just," he started again. "I just needed to see you.

"Okay. Um, did you want to come inside?" I asked. I wasn't sure where this was going but I figured we might as well be comfortable.

"Yeah," he said to my surprise. I awkwardly walked around his unmoving body and opened the door.

"Did you want anything to drink?" I offered in hopes to break the tension.

"I'm okay."

"Do you mind if I change out of this ridiculous outfit?" I said through a nervous laugh.

"Yeah. Of course," he said and made eye contact with me for the first time tonight.

I made sure I was quick to change into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before heading back into the living room. He was seated on the couch nervously playing with his hands in his lap. I took the seat next to him making sure to keep a comfortable amount of space between us. I wasn't sure how to act around him.

"Costume party?" He asked randomly.

"Huh?" I asked out of confusion.

"Your outfit," he pointed out. "Were you at a costume party?"

"Oh, no. I was bartending at a charity event."

"Bartender, huh? That's different."

"Yeah. Just trying to make some extra cash on the side. Sam needs some money for this study abroad program," I said without thinking when his head shot up.

"Sam," he stated. "Your daughter."

"Yeah. Dom, I'm so sorry," I said. "I never meant for this lie to become this big thing in my life. I swear it was just-"

"Please. I'm here. Okay? I'm here and I want to listen. I know I shouldn't but I missed you and I want to hear you out," he said and those words instantly calmed me.

"Okay. Where should I start?"

"Tell me about you. The real you."

"All the time we spent together. That was me," I said taking a breath. "I'm thirty-eight and newly divorced. Um, I met Aaron in college and got pregnant. Things just stopped working for us and he lied to me for the last five years of our marriage. And trust me, not telling you the truth about my age killed me every day but I was just so scared to lose the first thing that made me feel alive." He was still listening and he wasn't yelling. That gave me the confidence to continue. "Um, that night at the bar when we met, you thought I was your age and at first I thought that was absurd. I was having a hard time finding a job and that night Rachel convinced me to tell a little white lie about my age to make getting a job a little easier. And it worked. Then I ran into you at the coffee shop and I felt this connection with you and I knew deep in my mind that I should tell you the truth before anything went further but I was scared you wouldn't want to be around someone like me," I muttered in one breath.

"Britt," he said. "Britt, look at me. You know me, or at least I hoped you did. I don't care about age or who you've been with in the past. I asked you out because I found you interesting and I was intrigued by you and genuinely wanted to get to know you."

"I know. I knew that but something in me wanted to hide that part of me. I didn't want you to see me as some divorcee. I know it's stupid now but that's how I felt."

"It's not stupid. So, does anybody else know about this double life you're living?"

"Just Rachel."

He nods and takes a chance to scoot closer to me. "Listen, I-" and we were interrupted when the door swings open aggressively with two giggling girls barreling through.

"Oh, um, sorry. I didn't think you would be up," Rachel said. "We'll, uh, we'll leave."

"No. It's okay. It's late. I should go," he said as he stands up. I was really hoping to talk through this more with him. Even though we were getting somewhere, there were still so many things left in the air, things left unsaid.

"No, no. You stay. We weren't ready to come back anyway. Right, babe?" Babe. This was the girl Rachel was telling me about. I smiled when I saw the way she looked at my best friend, with love and adoration. "Bye. Nice to see you again, Dominic."

"Yeah. You too, Rachel."

They left as quickly as they came in and we were alone, yet again.

"Sorry about that. Perks of having a roommate, huh?" I chuckled.

"It's okay. Brittany, I missed you. I _miss _you but I'm still angry that you lied to me." I was about to apologize, _again, _but his finger moved to my lips stopping me before I can even start. "Don't apologize. Please. I'm angry but I forgive you. And I want to get to know you, all of you, the good, the bad. We'll take it slow, everything moved so fast with us and that isn't on you. That's on me too. It was just," he paused, "such a relief and so refreshing to feel something for someone else again."

"Slow. I can do that. And I missed you too."

"Okay. Slow," he said as he leaned in closer. My body naturally moved toward him meeting him halfway connecting our lips with a soft kiss. "I should go."

"Yeah, okay," I said pulling away just enough to leave a small gap between our lips and gently leaned my forehead against his. He gave me a small smile and stood up reluctantly before moving toward the door.

"I'll call you tomorrow," he said before leaving one last kiss against my cheek.

I leaned against the door once he was gone and took a deep sigh. Things were starting to turn around for me.

It was definitely a turn of events for me and the last thing I had expected but waking up Monday morning I suddenly felt a little lighter. The fact that Dominic had given me a chance to really explain myself put a slight pep in my step, enough to get me out of bed without dragging my feet as I had the week before. But there was still the looming fact that I wanted to get my daughter the money to be able to go on this program abroad. Sure, the money from the bartending gig was a starting point but it wasn't enough and certainly wouldn't get me to my goal fast enough. And what was even worse, out of all the events in Los Angeles, my luck I ended up at an event that Santana was attending. Of course, she didn't make it awkward but the fact that I was looking for work outside of her company might have made me look different in her eyes. But I reminded myself that to Santana, I was a young girl in her twenties and fresh out college working her way up in the world. So how bad could it have looked?

"Quinn! Thank you so much for getting me that gig," I told her although I had already thanked her many times over the weekend.

"No problem. You don't have to keep thanking me. I'm glad it worked out," she said. "You seem like you are in a better mood today," she pointed out.

"Yeah. I guess I got more rest this weekend. I feel good, refreshed."

"Good," she said turning back toward her computer. "Oh, by the way," she said over her shoulder. "Celeste is on a rampage already. Just a heads up!" She told me through a mischievous smile and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I guess there was something out there that could put a damper on my great morning.

"Brittany! Good, you're in."

"Yup. Eight-thirty, like I am every morning." I tried to hold back the snark.

"Someone is snappy this morning. We have a very important client coming in. Lionel. I'll need you to make sure he is comfortable and that you get him anything he requests. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," I muttered under my breath. Sure, she was rubbing me the wrong way first thing in the morning but it wasn't worth losing my job over. "Of course, what time will he be in?"

"One. Make sure you are around."

I nodded and walked away before she could give me more to do. As is, I was hoping for some downtime to go through the manuscripts. At this point, I was over halfway through the pile Santana had asked me to look at.

"Want to grab lunch today?" Quinn said as she hung over the wall of my little cubicle.

I took the pen out of my mouth that I had been chewing on the past hour. "I can't today. Cruella needs me here for a client and she made sure that I was not anywhere but here for when the King arrives."

"That sucks," she said. "I guess I'll get lunch alone then," she sighed dramatically.

"I think you'll survive."

I went back to the page I was on, with the pen back in my mouth and a highlighter in my other hand before I was interrupted, yet again.

"Brittany," came the soothing voice I recognized immediately.

"Santana, hi," I said sitting upright.

"Hi," she smiled. "I was going to call you to my office but then I realized it's getting closer to lunch and wondered if you would get lunch with me to discuss a few things."

Lunch with Santana? I already turned down Quinn, but I can't turn down my boss.

"Uh," I stuttered.

"Unless you already have plans. We can meet after," she said and for a second I saw a look of defeat in her eyes. I found that odd but decided not to think too much about it.

"No, it's not that. It's just Celeste asked me to stick around the office. I guess a big client is coming in today and she wants me to make sure they are extra comfortable," I told her truthfully.

"Oh, that's it?"

"Yeah?" I questioned.

"One second," she said and walked across from my desk toward Celeste's office. I couldn't exactly hear what was being said since the door was closed but two minutes later Santana walked out looking like she won something, a smile plastered on her face.

"You're free for lunch. So, what do you say?"

"Sure," I smiled. I wondered what she wanted to discuss.

"Great. In an hour?" I nodded. After getting an ear full from Quinn for an hour about being invited to lunch by Santana was a big deal, it was time to leave.

"You mind walking?" Santana said.

"Nope."

"Great. I think you're really gonna like this place," she said as we made our way out of the office. The short walk was filled with small talk and a story or two about her kids. I loved seeing this side of Santana, free and relaxed which was so different than Boss Santana.

We arrived at a small restaurant, nothing too fancy.

"Two for Lopez," she said to the hostess who smiled and grabbed two menus before showing us to our table.

"Santana! It's been a long time. I thought you forgot about us," an older man said as he approached our table. Santana stood up immediately and hugged the man.

"I could never forget about you guys. This is my favorite place in all of LA," she said as she flattered the man.

"Anything you guys want, just let me know! Lunch is on me today," he said generously.

"Marco, no. We can't accept-"

"Hush! Didn't your parents teach you not to argue with your elders?" He joked nudging her. "Sasha will take care of you guys," he said as a young waitress approached our table.

After putting in our food orders, we continued with small talk. "So, I've been thinking," she started and I listened suddenly more attentively as I spun the straw around my cup. "You really have been doing great work with me these last few weeks and I know it's a lot sooner than we would normally make a decision like this but I think it's time you move away from your work with Celeste."

_A promotion, _I thought to myself not able to believe this is what she wanted to discuss.

"I want to move you to a full-time junior editor. I think you are ready for this and the last time I had this feeling was with Quinn and she has proven me right so far."

"Wow, Santana, um, that's," I started but was at a loss of words. "Wow."

"Don't be so surprised, Brittany. I mean it, you really have been doing great work and I've had the pleasure of working closely with you and have seen your work ethic and beyond that, I've seen your vision. It's exactly what we need. And of course, this promotion does come with a pay raise," she added before grabbing paperwork from her purse and sliding it to my side of the table. Before I had a chance to look at what was written on the paperwork, our food arrived and she slid it back toward her.

"We can discuss business after. Let's enjoy our meal. Trust me when I say, Marco is a genius in the kitchen."

"You seemed to know him really well," I said as I twirled my fork to scoop up the pasta. The smell had hit my nose before I was able to taste the food and I knew this was going to be incredible.

"Yeah. He's been around forever. Since I was in high school. I used to come here with my parents a lot and then throughout college and basically ever since. Don't tell anyone, but Marco gave me my first taste of wine, as a minor," she giggled and her eyes twinkled through the laugh.

"Such a rebel," I joked back.

"Oh, totally. Don't let the boss exterior fool you but I had my fair share of wild times when I was growing up. I'm sure they are nothing compared to your college stories. I could just imagine how your generation parties now," she added and that statement alone made the fact that she didn't know my true age come flooding back.

Being around Santana I always forgot who I was pretending to be and was just me, just Brittany. And sure, there were times where I thought about her outside of work, now that I knew who she was and how her life was. I admired her, I really did. Being the head of a successful company all while single-handedly raising two amazing kids. I just wish she could get to know the real me, without anything holding me back because I believe we could be really good friends.

"Uh, yeah. I wasn't much of a partier but I guess we could get a little crazy," I said. It wasn't a complete lie. I didn't get a lot of party years especially after college but seeing how Quinn enjoyed going out I could just imagine how party nights were for her in college.

After we were both full and extremely satisfied with the most delicious meal ever, she went back into business mode and slid the paperwork back to my side so I can look it over.

"The first page is a preview of what your job description will consist of," she said as I skimmed through the page. "And on the second page, you'll see what your new pay will be with the new position."

I turned the page as she spoke and my eyes practically bulged out of my head when I saw the number.

"Um, Santana. That's," I started to say still trying to wrap my brain around the increase. "That's a lot."

"No, it's what we pay all our junior editors to start," she said matter-of-factly. "Listen, I know the timing of this might be strange but I want you to know, this has nothing to do with me seeing you at that event the other day. I promise you, I would never do anything to put any of my employees in an uncomfortable position."

My head was still down as she continued to speak but her voice softened and that caught my attention.

"Brittany," she said. "I want you to believe in yourself. You are good at what you do and you deserve this opportunity fully."

"Thank you, Santana. You don't know how much this means to me," I said as I looked into her soft brown eyes. It's like she was an angel sent from God at one of the hardest times in my life. Without her, without her company, I don't know where I would be.

"Anytime, Brittany. So, now that we got that out of the way I think we should enjoy the dessert I ordered and then get some work done, what do you say?"

"Sounds like a great plan," I told her with a smile. Things were really starting to look up for me now. I had this promotion at work which would definitely help pay for Sam's abroad program and Dominic and I were starting over with a clean slate. Yup, things were good for me.

_Winter Break_

"When does Sam get in again?" Rachel asked from the kitchen with half a bagel hanging out of her mouth. She looked ridiculous but I had never seen her so happy in my whole life.

After the brief encounter with her new girl a couple of months ago, I was officially introduced to the woman who swept Rachel off her feet. Her name was Lana and she was nothing like any girl she had ever dated. She was a successful lawyer that had recently moved to LA from Florida to open her own firm. They met in the most cliche way, Rachel was leaving a class she was teaching and literally ran into the girl. Rachel had told me that she played it cool but after I got to know Lana, I was able to get the real story out of her and apparently my smooth ex-Broadway star best friend was a fumbling mess after the bump in. It was completely out of character for Rachel but after seeing the two of them together I could see why she was.

"She lands in two hours," I told her not even trying to contain my excitement. My baby girl was finally coming home. This was the longest we had ever been apart since the day she was born. Sure she went to summer camps but those were only as long as a week, two at most. But now my little girl was all grown up and living her life in New York and I couldn't wait to squeeze her in my arms.

"We're getting lunch right?"

"Yeah. I was thinking that one spot on San Vicente."

"Perfect. We really are so lucky to live in California. No one would believe that it's still 70 degrees outside in December."

"I know. I love it!"

"Okay. Well, I'm meeting Lana for coffee but I'll see you at the restaurant."

"You sure she can't join us for lunch?"

"Yeah. She really wants to but she has a big case she's working on and needs to prep for court. She's going to try and meet up with us tomorrow."

"Okay. I know Sam is dying to meet her. It's not every day Aunt Rachel gushes about a girlfriend for an hour on the phone," I teased her.

I made sure the guest room was all set for Sam's arrival, even though Rachel had everything ready to go. It was a way to keep myself busy before making my way to the airport.

LAX was always a nightmare but even more so around the holidays but luckily for me, I was able to find parking in arrivals rather quickly. Looking at my watch, I knew Sam's flight had already landed and she would be coming through the sliding doors at any moment.

"Mom!" I heard my daughters voice come from across the way as she dragged her luggage behind her, her steps picking up speed.

"Sam!" I said in return as I scooped her up in my arms. "I've missed you so much, baby girl. Let me look at you," I said before pulling her at arm's length. Sure she looked the same as she did the day she left for college just a few months ago but she also looked older, more mature. I felt a tear start to build at the corner of my eye as I looked at her and realized that she no longer was my little girl. She was blossoming into a beautiful and independent adult.

"Stop it, mom." I knew I was staring but I couldn't help it.

"Sorry! But really Sam, you look great," I told her as I rubbed her cheek. "Come on, let's go see your crazy Aunt Rachel. You know how she goes all dramatic broadway star if we keep her waiting," I joked as I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and dragged her luggage behind us.

"So, tell me really. How is it living with Aunt Rachel?"

"It's good. I thought it would be a lot worse," I laughed. "But I think it's exactly what I needed after your father and I split. It's nice having someone else around, you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean. The first few weeks were hard being away from you," she trailed off as she looked out the window. She never mentioned being homesick or anything the times we spoke on the phone but knowing my daughter, she would try to hide that so I wouldn't worry about her more than I already did.

"Do you wish you stayed closer to home?" I asked hesitantly.

"Honestly? I love New York. It was hard in the beginning but I feel like I belong there and I've made really cool friends and I love all my classes. I can't wait till you guys come and visit me."

"And we will. So, excited to go to Germany?"

"Yes! Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Once or twice," I laughed.

Luckily, it was easy to find parking near downtown which always seemed to be an issue, an issue I had learned to deal with.

"Sam! Oh my god, come here!" Rachel yelled from her spot outside the restaurant as my daughter ran into her waiting arms.

"Hey, Aunt Rach! Miss me?" She teased the shorter brunette.

"So much! You were always more fun than your mom," I heard her tease as I playfully rolled my eyes. "Hope you're hungry!"

This quickly became our favorite lunch spot after I moved in with Rachel and I knew Sam would love it, too.

"How's college, kiddo?" Rachel asked sipping her bloody mary.

"It's the best. Seriously, I _so_ belong in New York and this whole college thing is awesome."

"Spoken like a true nerd," she teased my daughter. "Your mom was telling me about Germany."

"I know. She's the best, right? My friend told me about it and I knew I had to do it. And plus Max is going too," she started rambling out of excitement.

"Who's Max?" I asked.

"A friend," she said through a blush. _A friend, yeah right, _I thought to myself.

"_Just _a friend?" Rachel asked catching the blush that I saw too.

"I met him at orientation and we ended up having a bunch of classes together."

"Is he cute?"

Sam paused for a minute taking a sip of her drink and looking between Rachel and I. "Oh my god, so cute!" She gushed. "And so smart."

"Does he know you like _love _him," Rachel continued to tease.

"I do not _love _him," she said blushing even harder this time. "And yeah, sort of? We hang out all the time but last week, he uh, kissed me."

"And?"

"And," she started. "It was perfect. So perfect. We were in Central Park and we stopped by a pond and he just kissed me."

"Well, I'd like to meet this Max," I started wanting to give my daughter a hard time. "But no babies. I am _way_ too young to be a grandmother, understood?"

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you, mom," she rolled her eyes. Lunch was delicious as usual and we spent the time catching up and Sam had her chance to grill Rachel about her new girlfriend who she was dying to meet.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Then can we go home? I'm so tired from finals and the long flight," she said.

"Of course, baby."

Rachel waited for Sam to walk away. "So, she has a boyfriend. How do you feel about that, _mom."_

"She looks so happy, doesn't she? I think that's what I worried about most when the divorce was happening. I didn't want her to get dragged down in this mess, you know?"

"I know I tell you this, like, all the time but you really have done an amazing job at raising such an incredible young woman. She's a good kid and has a great head on her shoulders."

"I know. I'm so proud of her," I said before we were interrupted.

"Britt?" And my eyes widened when I immediately recognized the voice.

"Quinn, hey!" I said surprised.

"Rachel, nice to see you, as always." Ever since Quinn learned of Rachel's flirtatious ways, she always made it a habit to flirt back and tease the girl shamelessly.

"You as well, Quinn," Rachel shot back.

"You here with Elijah?" I asked not seeing anyone with her.

"No, just meeting up with some friends," she said.

"Hey, mom. I'm so tired," Sam said and my eyes bulged out of my skull as I stood there in sheer panic. I took a chance and glanced at Quinn and found her face scrunching up out of confusion.

"Sam, uh, this is Quinn, we work together. Quinn, this is my cousin, Sam," I said quickly and Sam now had the same face as Quinn did just seconds ago.

"Nice to meet you, Sam," she said before turning to me. "Do all your cousins call you mom?" She questioned.

"What? Oh, no," I nervously laughed. "It's a nickname she gave me because I was always the uptight one in the group."

"Right," she said laughing. "I could see why you did," she said to Sam who still stood just as confused as before but thankfully she laughed along with Quinn. "Anyways, I'm gonna go but I'll see you on Monday. Nice to see you again, Rachel. Bye Sam."

"Bye!" They both chimed in before I sat down and felt the breath escape me that I had been holding in. I quickly chugged some water to cool myself down even though it was December and nowhere near as hot outside as my body felt.

"What was that?" Sam questioned.

"I'll explain it at the house, promise."

Rachel and I waited on the couch while Sam took a quick shower before she met us in the living room.

"Explain, one of you," she said.

"Rachel?" I said pleading my best friend with my eyes to explain what that whole debacle was about.

"Fine," she huffed. "Your mom here thought it was a good idea to lie about her age because she was having a hard time getting a job after the divorce," she started.

"Hey, I don't think so. It was Rachel's idea!"

"Whatever. _Maybe _it was my idea. But anyway, it worked and a lot better than we thought."

"Okay, big deal. You lied about your age to get a job, I don't see the problem in that," Sam started.

"There's kind of more," I said. "Uh, I met someone. A much younger someone."

"What? You're dating? And you never told me? How long?"

"A couple of months?"

"Couple of months! Who is he? And wait, how much younger?"

"He's, uh, twenty-eight," I started. "His name is Dominic. I planned on telling you, I swear but it just didn't feel right telling you over the phone."

"Or maybe it's because she has a huge crush on her boss," Rachel chimed in.

"Really, Rachel? You're starting this again?"

"What? I'm just saying. You talk about Santana just as much as you gush about Dom, maybe even more," she said crossing her arms.

"I do not!"

"Do too"

"Do not!"

"Do too"

"Woah! Wait, who's Santana?"

"She's my boss," I said.

Having Sam at such a young age, we shared a bond that some mother daughters never had. For example, she knew all about my past, that included past relationships, which meant she definitely knew about Mia and our bumpy past.

"Yeah, and your mom totally has a crush on her, she's just too wrapped up in this whole Dominic thing to realize it."

"Rachel, drop it, okay? I do _not _have a crush on Santana. Our relationship is strictly professional. And so what if I think she is amazing at her job? Doesn't mean I want to sleep with her or date her, okay? So just drop it."

"Okay, jeez," she said with her hands up in the air. "My bad. Sensitive subject," she whispered toward Sam who just giggled.

"Whatever, you two are annoying. I forgot how bad you guys are together."

"We love you, mom," Sam said as she pulled Rachel and me into a hug. "So, when do I get to meet Dominic?" She asked wiggling her eyebrows.

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe over the break."

"Wait, does he know you are like not his age?"

"Yeah, he knows. He's the only one that knows, outside of us, of course,"

"Cool. Well, I told Max I would call him when I had some free time, so, yeah. I'm gonna go do that. Popcorn and a movie tonight?"

"Sounds great, baby," I said with a smile watching my daughter walk away. _That wasn't so bad, _I shrugged to myself.

********SO DOMINIC IS BACK...FOR NOW. BUT OF COURSE, BRITTANA IS ENDGAME AND THEY WILL START INTERACTING MORE AND LINES ARE GOING TO START TO BLUR. HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THE NEW CHAPTER! AS ALWAYS DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW :P**


	8. Happy New Year

**I know it's been forever since I posted an update! It's hard to juggle writing with work and girlfriend and just life but I am still very much devoted to writing and finishing this story, so be patient with me! I'm not going anywhere. Hope you guys enjoy the next chapter and don't forget to let me know what you think! :P**

**CHAPTER 8**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR**

"_Babe, over here!" Came Dominic's voice as I spotted him in the distance. My steps became quicker as I approached him but a hand on my wrist stopped my movement. _

"_Hey," This voice was softer, warmer and definitely more feminine than Dominic's just seconds ago. I could still see Dominic waving at me from his spot near the pond we visited frequently together but something deep inside made me stop and turn toward the other voice. _

"_Hey," I said with a smile and leaned in for a hug._

_"Miss me?"_

_"So much," I said immediately, not even questioning the thought. _

"_Let's get out of here. What do you say? My place?" _

_And suddenly we were somewhere else, bodies pushed flush against the wall of a large hallway. "That feels good." Every time I heard that voice it spurred me on and it was like I couldn't get enough except I couldn't fully see who the voice belonged to. It was as if their face was blurred but their body felt so real, so warm under mine. Clothes were thrown everywhere in a hurry and our kisses were desperate, yet passionate. I wanted more, I needed more. _

"_Bedroom," I said hoping the one word would get them to understand my desperation. And it was as I was dragged up the stairs into a lavish room and immediately thrown on the bed, the warm body finding mine yet again. _

"_You're body feels amazing under me." Who was this? And why did this feel so right? Those questions left all my thoughts as a hand slipped lower on my body and quickly found my sensitive center, fingers being spread through my wetness, a finger plunging inside me without hesitation. _

"_Yes!" I screamed, not able to hold back the surge of pleasure spreading throughout my entire body. _

"_I'm going to make you feel so good, baby," and I looked up, the face finally coming into focus as my eyes widened in realization who they were. Santana. _

My body jolted out of bed, my heart racing as I took a minute to realize where I was. _Just a dream, _I thought to myself as I wiped the sweat that had started to break through on my forehead. I looked to my side to find Dominic spread on his stomach, a hand tucked under his pillow, clearly still asleep. I tried to get my heart rate to return back to normal but found it difficult while I sat next to my boyfriend. It was New Year's Eve and we had plans to spend the morning together before we went our separate ways, only to meet up again at the annual New Year's Party of L&L Publishing. But with the dream I just had, it almost felt wrong to be next to him.

As quietly as possible, I slipped out of bed before making my way to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee. Dominic had a late night at the bar and even later night after I came over, so I knew I had some time before he would wake up. I took my cup and sat on the patio, even in the winter cold, the fresh air somehow felt comforting.

Why would I dream about my boss? And not just any dream, a compromising dream at that. Damn Rachel and her big mouth. She had been putting weird thoughts in my head and never let a moment pass to remind me of how much time I had been spending with the brunette after hours, even more time than I had been spending with my boyfriend as of late. Samantha had just left for New York, wanting to spend New Year's with her friends before leaving for Germany, so obviously I was working later than usual.

Christmas was amazing with my little family and Sam even had the pleasure of meeting Dominic. But she didn't miss the fact that Rachel kept teasing me about Santana. Every time her name was mentioned, I would just roll my eyes and try and change the topic. Sure, we had been spending time together but it was all professional. Well, maybe not _all _professional but that didn't mean that I had feelings for her. And how could I when I was happily in a relationship with someone else?

_**A few days before Christmas...**_

"_So, burger or sandwich tonight?" _

"_Um, sandwich." _

"_Good choice. I'll put the order in. Usual?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Cool. Meet me in my office in thirty?"_

"_Sounds good." _

_It was almost six in the evening and most people had already gone home for the night. But, like had been happening most days, Santana and I were staying later to get more work done. We had our routine, Santana would insist on ordering food for us and I would make sure the coffee was fresh. Some nights she would bring her kids there after school and we would end up playing with them instead of actually getting work done. But tonight we were alone. _

_I wrapped up what I was working on and started to head toward her office. _

"_Hey. Food just got here," she said as she handed me my wrapped sandwich. "Any fun plans for Christmas?"_

"_Nothing too crazy. My, uh," I started trying to remember how I had introduced Sam to Quinn. "My cousin is in town to spend it with me. My parents couldn't make it this year, so it'll be small but cozy. What about you?" _

"_Christmas is a whole production at my house. The kids go absolutely crazy for it. They both insist on decorating the house with me and especially their rooms. Plus, they still totally believe in Santa, so that's always fun."_

"_I'm sure you spoil them like crazy. What could you possibly buy those two? I've seen their playroom," I teased her. _

_The blush that spread on her cheeks was the cutest thing. "I know. I just can't say no to them. Plus, after my wife left, their little world turned upside down and I just want to always make sure they know they are loved." _

"_Yeah. I know what you mean," I said without thinking. "I mean, that would totally suck." _

"_I don't talk about that much especially with little ears around but it was a really hard time for me but life as a mom can't stop," she shrugged._

"_If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" I asked hoping that we had become close enough for her to open up and talk about it. _

_She shook her head as she set her sandwich down. "Jenn and I met after college through some friends and we hit it off. She was in law school at the time and I was just starting off here under my dad. It's his publishing house, I'm sure you knew that." I nodded and patiently waited for her to continue, my sandwich completely forgotten. "Anyways, we dated for a couple of years. We took our time especially with how busy her schedule was. Law school is no joke. But after she graduated she got a job at a law firm and we moved in together and everything was great. I was finally getting everything I wanted in life. I had a great job and company that was going to be passed onto me, I had a beautiful girlfriend who was smart and succeeding in her own field. I proposed and our wedding day was beautiful, like a dream come true. Then the twins were born and I honestly didn't think life could get better, it's like my whole world changed and I was suddenly living and working for these two little humans that depended on us. Last year, right before Christmas, I came home with the kids after spending hours and way too much money at the mall to find her side of the closet completely emptied." _

_My blood boiled at the thought of Santana coming home and having her life ripped from underneath her. No one deserved that, especially someone as sweet as Santana. "She just left? Just like that?"_

"_Basically. I knew we were having problems but I never thought they were so bad she wanted to leave. Sure, we were both busy. We had 7-year-old twins and had busy jobs but we always made time to spend it as a family and had plenty of date nights."_

"_Did you ever hear from her after she left?" I asked my curiosity getting the best of me. _

"_Want something to drink? I need a drink," she said standing up to walk toward her secret stash I knew she kept in the office for occasions such as this, ignoring my question for the time being. _

"_Sure," I said hoping that the drink would ease the tension for her just a little to keep opening up about it. The way she was talking I could tell that she had this all bottled inside of her. I knew she didn't have that many close friends she could confide in and it made me feel special knowing she was willing to open up to me so much. _

_I watched as she poured us each a glass of whiskey quickly knocking hers back in one gulp before pouring another glass. "She did," she said. "Reach out. Apparently, she felt trapped and overwhelmed in our marriage and although she said she loved us, all three of us, she never imagined a life with kids and the whole settling down thing. Which," she started before taking another hefty sip, "would've been nice if she mentioned it at any point in our relationship. Like when I asked her to move in, or when I asked her to get married, or when I mentioned starting a fucking family." She was starting to get sad and angry, all her emotions were jumbling before she finished the glass in her hand. "She needed to get away and so she did."_

"_Where'd she go?"_

"_She moved to New York, last I heard. The divorce just finalized a couple of months ago. You know, I'm a big girl. I can handle getting my heartbroken, but the kids? No kid deserves to watch their parent walk out on them. Niko started lashing out at school and Gabbie wouldn't leave my side. Every morning when I would drop them off at school she would hold onto my leg for dear life crying. That tore me apart. But after time, and a shit tone of therapy, things got better I guess, at least for the kids. It's just lonely sometimes, but I have my kids and they keep me busy plus it helps that my parents live close by and they help out a lot," she finished wiping a tear that had fallen on her cheek. "I'm sorry. Christmas is in a few days and I'm here crying to you. We're not even working and I've made you stay late when you could be home with your cousin."_

"_Hey," I said quickly reaching across the small distance between us on the couch to grab her hand. It was the first time I felt her soft hand within mine and something jolted through my body but I pushed that far down in my head. "Don't apologize. Really. I'm just sorry that you've had to go through this. But if you ever need to talk I'm here. I know that I work for you and all but I'm a pretty good listener."_

_Her slightly puffy brown eyes looked up to me and through the pain was a softness that I hadn't seen before. "Thank you, Brittany," she said never taking her eyes away from mine once. "I don't know what it is about you but I feel so comfortable around you like I've known you for years."_

"_I feel the same way," I said without thinking before clearing my throat and moving my hand away from hers when I realized I had been rubbing my thumb over her skin. Thankfully at that exact moment, my phone rang breaking us out of our gaze. _

"_You should get home, enjoy your family."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Yeah. Think it's time I got home and cuddled with my kids," she smiled and that warmed my heart. _

"_Do you need a ride?"_

"_No, I'll just take an uber. Don't want to bother you," she said as she cleared the glasses and grabbed her purse. "Have a Merry Christmas, Brittany. I'll see you after the holiday."_

"_You too, Santana."_

"Britt?" Dominic's voice broke me out of my thoughts. I don't know how long he was standing there but it couldn't have been that long. He still looked like he was half asleep, his hair a mess.

"Morning," I said.

"Morning. You weren't next to me when I woke up," he faked a pout.

"Yeah. Sorry, I couldn't sleep anymore and didn't want to wake you up. I know you had a long night."

"Mm, thanks babe," he said leaning in for a lazy morning kiss. Somehow this kiss felt different as the thoughts from my last encounter with Santana swirled around in my head. There was no way Rachel was right. I did _not _have feelings for Santana.

"You're sure you don't have to work tonight, right?" I asked wanting to make sure. He had promised that he wouldn't have to be at the bar and would attend the companies New Year's party with me tonight.

"Nope! I'm all yours. How about I take a quick shower and we grab breakfast," he said.

"Sounds good," I smiled at him.

"Or, you can join me in the shower," he added wiggling his eyebrows.

"Dom, you and I both know that if I do that we'll never make it to breakfast, let alone lunch."

"Fine," he sighed dramatically. "I'll be quick. I'm starving!"

We spent the rest of the morning at a cafe near his house enjoying breakfast before we went our separate ways. I had heard about Santana's parties she threw for the company especially for New Year's from Quinn. It was a fancy outing and knew I needed time to get ready and look nice.

"Rach? You home?" I yelled as I made my way through the front door. I had learned rather quickly ever since Rachel became a one-woman type of girl that it was in my best interest to announce any time I entered the front door. Although Lana was a respectable girl and would usually turn red in the cheeks from embarrassment the couple times I walked in on them in a rather compromising position, Rachel, on the other hand, had no shame. Maybe this girl was good for her and would teach her to keep things in the bedroom.

"Hey, Britt," she said as she walked into the living room fully clothed and alone.

"No Lana?" I asked. Even with Lana's busy schedule, it seemed like she was always here, not that I was complaining. I actually really liked Lana.

"You just missed her," she said as she went to grab a water bottle out of the refrigerator. "Why are you home so early? I figured you would be with Dominic all day."

"I can't get ready there. My dress is here," I told her pointedly.

"Right. The big company party is tonight. That's exciting. Ready for Dominic to be in the same room as your crush?" She teased yet again.

"Seriously, Rachel? This shit again? Just drop it," I said rather angrily.

"You're touchy this morning. I would've thought spending the whole night with Dominic would put you in a good mood."

"Who said I'm not in a good mood?" I pushed back.

"Oh, please. You just snapped at me for no reason."

"Well, maybe if you stopped insinuating something is going on between me and my _boss, _I would stop snapping. Ever think about that?"

"Jeeze, Britt. Chill out. Seriously, what's got you so wound up?"

I took a deep breath as I slouched into the couch. I felt the cushion to my right dip and knew Rachel was waiting patiently for me to say something. "I had a weird dream this morning and it's been bothering me. I can't get it out of my damn head. It just felt so real."

"What was the dream about?" I blushed as parts of the dream flashed through my head. "Oh my god!"

"What?" I said suddenly feeling the blood flush from my face.

"You totally had a sex dream, didn't you?"

"What? No!" I argued knowing that she was correct.

"You're lying. Just tell me? There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Wait, unless you had a sex dream with me? Oh my god. You did, didn't you?"

"Absolutely not. Trust me, if it was about you I wouldn't be embarrassed. I'd be disgusted!"

"Hey! That was rude," she said crossing her arms.

"You're like my sister, Rach. A sex dream would just be wrong."

"Ugh, Britt. Just _tell _me!"

"Santana!" Her eyes widen at my sudden outburst. "It was a dream with Santana," I repeated again more calmly and quietly.

"Holy shit. I knew it! I knew you had feelings for her or at least your subconscious has feelings for her."

"It's just so confusing. At first, I was with Dominic but then all of a sudden I was making out with Santana and then we were on her bed and then I don't know, I woke up in a complete panic. And what's even worse? Dominic was sleeping peacefully next to me. What the hell is going on with me?"

"Listen, and don't take anything I'm about to say the wrong way, but I think you feel this connection with Santana and maybe because you know you two are at similar places in your lives you feel like she could understand you better even though she doesn't know the truth about you. And I guess I could admit that me teasing you about her didn't help," she said.

"Yeah. It didn't. And so what if I think she's beautiful? I mean, anyone with eyes can tell you that plus we spend a lot of time together but that doesn't mean that I want to have sex with her or date her," I said. It was the first time these words were spoken out loud and it felt like something shifted. Suddenly, I was questioning everything I had and everything I wanted but there was no way that anything could happen with Santana for so many reasons and I did really enjoy my time with Dominic. I really did like him but the more I thought about it the more our age difference would become painfully obvious to me. Rachel sat staring at me wondering if I was going to say anything else and honestly, all of this talk was giving me a headache. "Sorry, I need to get ready. Dominic should be over in a few hours."

"Yeah, okay," she said as I stood from the couch to head to my room. "Hey, Britt? You can talk to me about anything, you know that right? I'm always here," she said sincerely her eyes softening as she smiled.

"I know. Thanks, Rach." I shook away any remaining thoughts about this topic and pushed on to distract myself as I got ready for tonight.

In between curling my hair and finishing off my make-up, my phone rang.

"Hey. You on your way?" I asked as I answered the phone.

"_Don't hate me." _

"You're not coming," I said sounding disappointed as my shoulders slumped.

"_I'm really sorry, Britt. They called from the bar and it is already at max capacity with people trying to get in and it's not even eight o'clock. I need to check up on them for a little but I promise I will do my best to be with you at midnight."_

"It's okay. I understand," I said and I did understand but I was looking forward to having Dominic by my side tonight.

"_I'm sorry, babe. I'm sure you're going to look beautiful tonight. Say hi to Quinn for me." _

"Thanks. I will. Bye."

/

"How do I look?" I asked the happy couple in front of me.

"Wow, Britt. You look stunning," Rachel spoke up first. I had decided on a long black dress that had a tasteful slit on one side exposing some skin. The dress pulled up over my shoulders and tied behind my neck. I had found it while at the mall with Rachel a few weeks back and she insisted I try it on the second she saw it. I'm glad I did because it really was a gorgeous dress and one I was not accustomed to wearing often. I let my hair hang loosely on the sides putting natural curls throughout and went with a smokey look for my make-up really enhancing the blue in my eyes.

"You look beautiful, Brittany," her girlfriend added.

"Thanks. You too look hot. Where are you headed?"

"Lana has a company party that we're going to make an appearance at and then well see where the night takes us," Rachel said smiling brightly at her girlfriend.

"Sounds like fun! I guess I'll see you, crazy kids, next year," I said. _Wow, that was such a mom joke, _I thought to myself.

"Love you, Britt. Give Quinn my best," she smirked before she got smacked on her arm by her girlfriend. Lana was well aware that Rachel was kidding as it had become an ongoing joke about Rachel trying and failing to flirt with the blonde when they first met.

"I'll be sure to remember," I winked before grabbing my purse and heading out the door.

The traffic was insane, not that it surprised me, it was New Year's Eve after all. My uber pulled up to the front of Beverly Hill's Hotel where the party was being held and I fixed my dress before making my way through the lobby where the concierge led me to the ballroom. It was elegantly decorated with black and gold. I always forgot how many people actually worked for Santana but glancing around the large room, it was evident that there were hundreds. To the left of the double door's was a display with everyone's table number. I was glad to see that Quinn was at mine. Before heading to the table, I stopped by one of the many bars set up around the room to grab a glass of wine.

"Brittany! You made it," Quinn said before standing up to give me a hug. I noticed her boyfriend sitting next to her and wasn't at all surprised when he didn't even attempt to stand up to greet me. "Where's Dominic?" She asked.

"He had to stop by the bar. It's really busy there tonight," I said before leaning forward to face Elijah. "Nice to see you again, Elijah." _Kill them with kindness, _I smirked to myself as I greeted him.

"Yeah, you too, uh," he started and either he really was an idiot and never paid attention to Quinn or he was just messing with me. "Brittany."

I rolled my eyes and switched my attention back to my friend. I still didn't understand what she saw in this guy but I wasn't one for any dating advice at the moment. _Ugh, don't think about that right now, Britt. Especially when Santana is here somewhere. _

"Well, this is fancy," I commented to the blonde sitting next to me. I knew I wasn't pulling her attention away from her boyfriend who had since left the table in favor of the bar and who knows, maybe to flirt with someone at the party. _Loser. _

"I know. Santana goes all out. What did you get? The steak or chicken?"

"I got the filet. I'm sure it's gonna be good."

After dinner was served, Santana appeared in the middle of the large hall with a microphone in her hand. I hadn't had a chance to see her yet as there were so many people around. She looked absolutely stunning in a tight gold dress, her hair curled in an Old Hollywood style.

"Good Evening everyone! I'd just like to say a few words before we get this party started. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard this year to make L&L Publishing top the charts yet again. Without each and every one of you, none of this would be possible and I just want to express my appreciation for all of you. As usual, we will be announcing the raffle winners shortly after midnight and there is still time to buy tickets as well. All proceeds this year will be going to a charity I've been working with closely for the last couple of years to help children with needs and their education. Thank you again and I hope everyone has a great night!"

It still captured my attention every time Santana mentioned the many charities she was involved with. It didn't surprise me by any means but it just showed her character and made me respect her as a person that much more.

"I'm gonna head to the bar for a refill. Want anything?" I asked Quinn.

"I'll come with you. Maybe I'll find Eli up there."

We made our way through the round tables set up around the dancefloor and found the bar closes to us.

"Vodka tonic and glass of red, please," Quinn ordered. The music had started up and the lights had dimmed as half the crowd made their way to the dancefloor as the other half opted to mingle and enjoy a few drinks. "Missing Dominic?" She asked as she handed me my glass.

"Yeah. I'm bummed but I get it. He owns a bar and it's New Year's Eve. It's not entirely shocking that it's busy, you know?"

"True. I feel bad, I get to be here with Elijah while Dominic is working and you're alone, on New Year's."

I almost cringed when she thought being her with Elijah was a good thing. I took a sip of my wine before getting the courage to bring up my concerns since it felt like an appropriate time.

"Quinn, no offense or anything, but what is it about Elijah that you love? Because, the couple of times I've been around him I've seen him treat you like crap, to be honest."

Her eyes widened but softened quickly. That was a good sign I guess. The last thing we needed was to get in a fight on a night like tonight. "It's not what you think, Britt. He's not all that bad most of the time. It's just, my parents really like him and he comes from a family with money. Sometimes I want to run away and just get away from him. I'm not blind, I know he cheats on me but if I broke up with him my parents would seriously be so pissed, I think they would disown me."

"Why the hell would your parents care that much?" I asked shocked at the admission.

"My parents, they, uh, they kind of are well known."

"How well known?"

"Enough? My dad, he uh, invented the Palm Pilot. I bet you've never even heard of it. No one I ever tell knows what it is or maybe their parents had it so they might know." Truth was, I definitely knew what it was. Aaron had one. Those things were super popular before smart phones were a thing. "Anyways, they have a lot of money and they feel that the guy I marry needs to come from a similar status if you know what I mean."

"And Elijah fits the requirements?"

"Yeah, he comes from a family of money. I don't understand fully but it has something to do with stocks or something. I don't know. I think about it, you know, leaving him and telling my parents to fuck off," she giggled. "But then I worry about my life, like what if I get fired one day or don't succeed in my career? What if I can't support myself and the people that _can_ aren't there for me?"

This was a lot deeper than I ever imagined and knew that we wouldn't be able to fully discuss this in this setting.

"Hey, I'm sorry for questioning. I didn't know," I said. "But, how about we talk about this more during the week. Coffee?"

"Yeah. I'd like that. You're a really good friend, you know that?"

"Eh," I nudged her. "I know."

"And so modest," she joked back.

I was glad to see the mood lighten as we continued to laugh and drink, mingling with other familiar faces. "Well, hello, Bethany," Celeste piped up next to me.

I rolled my eyes. _What was her problem? I didn't even work for her anymore, just with her._

"Hi, Celeste. And my name is Brittany. It's been almost 4 months that I've worked there," I said not able to take it anymore. I was not her assistant anymore, Santana had made that very clear so I had no reason to kiss her ass.

"Sure, Brittany. How has it been being Santana's little pet? Hope she isn't taking too much advantage of you," she barked and I honestly did not have the patience for this.

"Things are great. Thanks for asking, Celeste. Excuse me, I need to use the ladies room," I said and walked away. I felt bad for leaving Quinn behind but when I glanced back and saw her chatting with some of our co-workers I knew she was fine. I walked to the other side hoping to avoid Celeste for the rest of the night and realized I didn't know many people here. It would've been nice if Dominic was by my side. I checked my phone to see if he had tried to reach me but I didn't see a message.

To Dominic: Hey! How's it going?

"Brittany!" I looked up from my phone to see Santana approaching me for the first time tonight. "Hey, I was wondering when I'd run into you." She leaned in for a hug, something we had done only a few times after staying late at the office.

"Killer party," I commented leaning out of the hug.

"Thanks. It's my favorite event of the year. Did you enjoy the dinner?"

"It was delicious. Ran into Celeste," I said hoping she'd understand by my tone that it wasn't necessarily a pleasant encounter.

"How'd that go?"

"She still insists on pretending she doesn't know my name. Also, she asked how it was going being your, and I quote, little pet."

"Ignore her. Seriously, she harmless. But she's good for the company. And, if it'll make you feel better, I'll talk to her."

"No, that's okay. I don't work for her anymore, technically. I think I can handle being called Bethany every once in a while," I laughed. "How are the twins?"

"Good. We had an early countdown before I left, sparklers and all. They were bouncing around the house screaming as if it was really midnight."

"Adorable," I smiled.

"You here alone?" She questioned.

"Yeah. Dominic was going to come but something came up." Santana knew about Dominic but only that he was my boyfriend. We didn't talk about him much the times we did spend together.

"Oh, that's a bummer," she said but didn't look like she felt sorry for me. I wanted to ask if she was her with a date but that would be too much of a personal question especially because I knew almost certainly that she was not dating anyone at the moment.

"It's okay. Quinn is here, so at least I'm not alone."

"Good. Well, I should keep moving around. So many people to talk to," she half feigned annoyance. "I'll see you around though."

I went back to find Quinn and even went on the dancefloor for a little. The time flew by and soon it was time for the countdown. The hall had a projector showing the Time Square countdown as the waiters started to pass out hats and noisemakers to everyone as well as a glass of champagne. Quinn, Elijah and I were standing somewhere on the outsides as to not get stuck in the crowd that was forming in the middle. I felt someone nudge against me and when I turned I was surprised to see Santana standing next to me, and I couldn't contain the giggle that threatened to escape. She was wearing a top hat and had a noisemaker hanging out of her mouth as she wiggled her eyebrows at me.

"That's a cute look," I teased her.

"Thanks. I'm thinking of incorporating it into my everyday outfit," she joked back. "By the way, I don't know how I forgot to tell you, but I'll be out of the office for the next two weeks. I'll have my phone so if you need anything you can email me."

"Business trip?"

"No, an actual vacation, if you could believe that? The kids and I are going to Paris. They're out of school and I feel guilty for not spending as much time with them lately."

"That sounds awesome. Can I be your kid?"

"Funny. I know they're spoiled but they've never been out of the country. Niko is so excited, he made me buy all these books about France but Gabbie, on the other hand, is a little nervous now that she is old enough to understand planes and flying."

"Well, that should be fun and don't worry. We'll make sure we don't burn the company down while you're gone."

"I'd appreciate that," she laughed her dimples on full display.

Before I was caught staring at her smiling face for too long, the crowd broke me out of my daze as they started to countdown out loud.

"6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Happy New Year!"

I blew the noisemaker and took a sip of my champagne when I glanced around the room to see people embracing in hugs and kisses. I didn't know where to turn. Dominic wasn't with me nor was any of the people closest to me. I glanced at Santana and saw her in a similar predicament.

"Happy New Year, Britt," she said and I felt my whole body warm-up as I heard her shorten my name for the first time.

"Happy New Year, Santana." Would we hug? We certainly couldn't kiss, not even on the cheek. That would just be unprofessional but before I could decide how to approach the situation without making it awkward with my boss, strong arms wrapped around my waist startling me.

"Happy New Year, baby," was whispered loud enough for me to hear over the loud music. I knew it was Dominic and before turning around in his arms, I looked up at Santana who gave me a small smile. Her eyes were not as bright as they were just seconds ago and I suddenly felt myself wondering why? But I didn't have the chance to think about it too long because those same strong arms that were around my waist were now twisting me so that I was face to face with my boyfriend.

"Happy New Year," I returned finally getting my midnight kiss. I quickly pushed away any thoughts of wanting another type of midnight kiss because Dominic was real and he was here and he knew me, the real me.

Maybe it was a good thing that Santana was not going to be around for the next few weeks. It would definitely mean that I wouldn't be spending long hours at the office and would be able to have quality time with Dominic.

"I know I was like a second late, but I promised I would be here by midnight," he smiled.

"You did," I said as I leaned up to kiss him again before being tackled into a bear hug by someone.

"Happy New Year's guys! Dominic! Ah, you made it!" Oh my god, was Quinn drunk? I swear I was with her like thirty minutes ago and she was pretty tamed.

"I did! Happy New Year, Quinn. Thanks for keeping an eye on my girl till I got here."

"Anytime," she smiled. "Drinks?" We all headed to the bar and I was thankful to see that Elijah was nowhere to be found.

"Think we've stayed long enough?" I asked as we finished off our drinks. "Let's head back to my place, what do you guys say?" I said asking Quinn and Dominic. I had just gotten a text from Rachel letting me know Lana and her would be heading back as well and that they wanted to finish off the night with us.

"I'm down. Elijah just left anyways," she said rolling her eyes. Yeah, she was definitely drunk and it was hilarious.

"Perfect. Dom?"

"I'm in. You have whiskey?"

"I have the two bottles you brought over a few weeks ago, unopened."

"Sweet! That's the good stuff. Ladies?" He said as he held his arms out for us and we headed home. I was happy to put the year I had behind me and only wished that the new year would bring me happiness and peace. Sam was in college living her best life and I was finally out of a marriage that was dragging me down, I had great friends, an amazing job, a sweet boyfriend and a best friend who I would literally die for. This was _my _year.


	9. Out of Sight, Out of Mind

**CHAPTER 9**

**OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND**

The first day back at work after the New Year was interesting, mostly because the absence of a certain brunette was greatly felt. It wasn't the first time Santana was out of the office for an extended period of time but somehow this felt different. Not necessarily a bad different, just different. Of course, the one thing that _could _be classified as a bad difference was the fact that Celeste was in charge, or so she thought, while Santana was out and that did not make my life any easier.

"Brittany, I know you've been spending a lot of your days with Santana or whatever but while she's out there are a few projects I'm going to need help with," she said. I barely had a minute to myself before she was already being a pain in my ass. But I did promise Santana that we would make sure to keep the business up and running while she was away and I was not going to make things difficult by getting into it with Celeste the first day.

"Sure, what is it?" Just because Santana was gone didn't mean that my work stopped. In fact, this was going to be a crucial couple of weeks for me and this book. Once she was back, we would have our final meeting with the author before sending the work off to be bound and gearing up for the official release.

I barely listened as she listed the few things that needed to get done during the week, taking notes when I felt necessary and mostly to get her to leave me alone. Note-taking was a big deal for Celeste; it made her think you were actually paying attention. The morning breezed by as I was buried in my work without once noticing the time tick by.

"Great. Yes, Santana is looking forward to meeting with you again. She's very happy with the final product," I told the author over the phone as I saw Quinn walk up to my desk, patiently waiting for me to end the conversation.

"Wonderful, we'll see you in a few weeks," I said. "Thank you. You too."

"You were on the phone _forever."_

"Stop being so dramatic, Quinn. You just got here," I said rolling my eyes. "I already have to deal with one drama queen with Rachel, please don't become the second."

"Oh, please. No one can out drama that girl."

"You're right. Lunch?"

"Yes, please. I'm starving!"

We walked to our usual spot for lunch and got comfortable, knowing that there was no rush for either one of us to get back to the office which I was happy about considering I had been thinking about my conversation with Quinn ever since New Year's Eve.

"So, I had the worst hangover ever after New Year's," she said as she took a sip of her iced tea.

"Yeah. Same. I can't remember the last time I drank that much. Probably in college," I said mindlessly before taking a bite out of my sandwich.

"So, what, like 3 years ago?" She giggled.

"It feels like a lot longer than that," I mumbled, knowing she wouldn't understand the true meaning behind that statement.

"We're getting old, Brittany!"

"You're being dramatic again, Quinn," I laughed at her antics. "Wait till you hit your thirties, then talk to me."

"Like you would know what that feels like. We're literally the same age," she said before diving into her pasta.

"Right. But I live with Rachel. I've seen it all," I laughed it off. "So, all that crap you told me about your parents. What's the deal?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, have they always been like this?"

"Ever since I could remember. Just different things at different times. Like, when I was little, all their focus was on making sure I was the proper child. So that meant etiquette school, piano lessons, singing lessons, ballet lessons, everything. Then when I got older it was about being friends with the right people. I guess that part never really bothered me since I went to a private school and most kids came from money and let me tell you, the more money kids have, the more of a problem they are except my parents were too wrapped up in reputation to realize it. I swear, Brittany, there were more drugs at my school than you could imagine. Like it was completely normal to go to a party with cocaine everywhere. I never really got into that shit but still, it was everywhere and by the time I was eighteen I had seen my fair share of overdoses. But of course, to my parents, they turned a blind eye to those stories, because, again they had money and status."

"That's literally insane," I said in shock. Sam had just graduated high school and although she wasn't much of a partier, she never mentioned seeing anything like that at the parties she went to. If I had ever heard anything like this I would've locked her in her room to protect her from such things for the rest of her life. Luckily for me, Sam had zero interest in kids like Quinn was describing and was very happy to have her small group of close friends that were involved with sports and clubs and highly devoted to academics._ My little nerd, _I smiled to myself.

"I know. But it was my reality. I didn't get too caught up in anything and mainly focused on school. I knew I had to get far away from my parents if I wanted to live a normal life, at least for four years so I studied my ass off and got into NYU. Best time of my life. I dated this guy for a couple of years while I was there. He came from a simple middle-class family. I really liked him but I knew there was no way in hell I would ever be able to bring him home, let alone marry the guy. It sucked. I kinda was depressed after that but I did what I had to to get me out of that funk."

"What you do?"

"Saw a therapist on campus. Talked through certain problems. I don't know. The older I get though the more I think about just saying fuck it, you know? I'm gonna do me and be happy. But then I'm so scared. Not that I need that lifestyle. I could care less to be honest. I never cared about that shit. Big houses, fancy cars, like who cares, you know? But what if I need them, financially, one day? It scares me."

"But Quinn, you are amazing at your job. You pay for your own place, you pay for a car. You have a degree. And honestly, you are an awesome person. There is someone out there that is going to love you and cherish you the way you deserve. I can't ever see you needing your family or their money."

"I know that. Like deep down, I know that. But it's still scary. It's all I know. And then I think about Elijah. In the beginning, things were good. I'm not naive, I know he's kind of an ass at times and I know he hasn't exactly been faithful especially in the most recent times but honestly? I don't care. Maybe it's my way of sabotaging the relationship."

"Maybe. But if that's the case, why not just dump him?"

"It's safe? I don't know."

"Yeah, but are you happy?"

"No," she said honestly and freely without hesitation.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, if you ever decide to say 'fuck off' to your parents," I giggled as I quoted her, "then I would support you and have your back and if you ever needed anything, like a place to stay or whatever, I would be there for you."

"Thanks, Brittany. I know I said this before, but you really are a good friend. I'm glad I met you that first day in the bathroom."

"Me too, Quinn. I've honestly never had a friend that I feel this closely with. Besides Rachel, of course."

"Of course," she laughed.

Neither one of us were shocked to find Celeste giving us both a look of disapproval when we walked back into the office over an hour after we had left for lunch but then again, neither one of us stopped to care. I sent a quick email to Santana updating her on the progress of the book and that we were all set to meet with the author the week that she was to return before packing up and heading home for the day. I made sure to bid Celeste farewell before finally leaving and walking to my car.

The rest of the week went the same, long lunches with Quinn and more extra work from Celeste but I wasn't complaining since the remaining time at work was spent diligently working on the final product so that it was ready upon Santana's arrival. I survived a week and it wasn't half as bad as I had expected, Celeste only making my life semi-miserable. I did, however, miss the presence of a certain brunette and that was clear. Santana brought lightness to the office and it didn't feel as lively when she wasn't around, especially because I had come to rather enjoy our time after the rest of the office would go home to their respective lives. It had become a sort of routine for the two of us, working late nights over a meal and laughs. Life just didn't seem nearly as exciting and that thought alone was not good and although I was very aware of that fact, I tried my best to push it down, _far_ down.

The following Tuesday, I had promised Dominic to go straight to his place as I had been spending more and more time there in recent weeks. After New Year's, he had given me a key and made sure that I knew that he was not implying I move in or anything of that nature but instead so that I could come and go as I please, just in case he was running late or was in the shower, his words, not mine. And so, as I had done for the past week, I let myself into his place.

"Hey, babe," he said from his spot on the couch, his eyes never leaving the tv. He had recently purchased a Playstation 4, reliving his childhood memories as he played different games. "How was work?"

"Good. The day flew by. Have you been home all day playing?" I asked as I sat next to him giving him a quick kiss on his cheek to not disturb his gameplay.

"No. Just fired it up like twenty minutes ago. Want to watch me play? I'm pretty good. Thought I might have lost my touch. I haven't played in years!"

"Is this the new Madden?"

He paused the game and looked at me in shock and what I think was a good shock. "You know this game?" He said looking pleased with my knowledge of this stuff.

"Yeah. Niko has this game."

"Who's Niko?" He asked as he unpaused the game and turned his attention back to the game.

"Oh, Santana's son," I said as I watched his player throw a long pass for a touchdown.

"How old is this kid?"

"He's seven. And he probably could kick your ass," I answered cheekily which he ignored.

"I didn't know you hung out with Santana's kids."

"I did babysit them once a while back and sometimes she brings them to the office when we have to work late. She has a whole set up for the kids and Niko is usually glued to some sort of game."

"Hm. Sounds like a cool kid," he said as he groaned when his player got sacked.

"Nicely done, star player," I teased.

"You think you can do better?" He challenged.

"Oh, no way. Just because I recognized the game does not mean I know how to play. I haven't touched a video game since college. And that was one time and Aaron practically ripped the controller out of my hand because I apparently ruined all his progress."

He frowned at the mention of my ex-husband. "Yeah, let's not mention his name. And what was he even playing, Call of Duty?"

"Call of what? I don't know what that is. But no, it was Super Smash Bros.," I answered.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot that Call of Duty was more of a 'my generation' thing," he said without thinking. He was usually pretty good about pointing out our blatant age difference and I don't even think he realized he did it now because even though I was a little shocked, he continued to play as if it was nothing.

"Right. Anyways, are you hungry? Because I'm starving," I said before standing and moving toward the kitchen to look for something to eat.

"Want to order in? The Italian spot in town delivers, I think."

"Sure."

We decided to keep it casual and eat our take-out on the couch while we put a movie on in the background.

"So, how long is the boss out of town? I like that you don't have to work late when she's gone."

"She gets back next week."

"That sucks. I think you spend more time with her and at work than you do with me and that is just not fair. Makes Dominic very sad," he said in a childish tone and putting on his best pout. It was hard to take him seriously when he had pasta sauce on his face. I giggled before moving the pad of my thumb across it to clean it up. "Thanks, babe."

"Mhm. I know it sucks. But we're just trying to wrap up this book. You know how big this is for me."

"I know and I get it. I'm not trying to make you feel bad. It's just, I feel like you are dating your job more than me," he shrugged trying to play off his disappointment.

"I can guarantee you that my job is not as good of a lay as you are," I said playfully hoping to ease the tension.

"Is that right?" He husked setting his food down on the table and giving me a look, a look I knew well.

"Definitely," I said trying to sound sexy. At the beginning of our relationship, I would have never been comfortable to make comments like that but Dominic really helped to break me out of my shell, the shell that I had built all those years of being married and raising a child. In the beginning, I would've laughed at how ridiculous I must've sounded but now, I was confident in my own skin and although I never told him how much he helped me, I was thankful for it. Our food was long forgotten about and clothes were spread across the living room, a trail of them leading to his bedroom.

/

"Yeah, definitely better than work," I joked as my breathing came back to normal.

"Damn right it is. Oh, I almost forgot. So, I need to go on this business trip next month and was wondering if you would want to come with me?" He asked as he shifted on his side, resting his head against his palm.

"Where?"

"San Francisco. I have a couple of meetings with vendors but other than that I would be totally free to do whatever you want. We could explore the city, eat amazing food, or never leave the hotel. I'm down for whatever," he said as his fingers gently made circles on the exposed skin of my hip.

"I haven't been there in years. I think I could pencil you in."

"Should I contact your assistant?" He asked playfully as his lips moved to my neck.

"Yeah," I said through a moan. "That would work."

"Great. It's gonna be so much fun. Our first trip together," he said stopping his assault on my neck and looking back into my eyes.

"I look forward to it," I said before leaning over and catching the time. "Shit, I should head home."

"No," he said before wrapping a strong arm around my waist. "Don't leave."

"Dom, I have to. I don't have any extra clothes and I have work in the morning."

"Ugh, fine. If you must."

"I'll call you tomorrow," I said before kissing him and grabbing my clothes.

The week flew by yet again, between work and spending time with Dominic and even grabbing dinner with Rachel and Lana a couple of times it was finally two weeks since Santana had left and I was patiently waiting for Monday when she would be back in the office. But of course, I wouldn't be able to get through the week smoothly with at least one more Celeste encounter.

"Brittany, leaving already?" She questioned as I closed up my computer a little before five on Friday evening. It was slow and all my work for the week was done. Most of the office had gone home and I didn't see the need to sit around until five to leave but I guess Celeste disagreed.

"Yeah. You know, get a head start on my weekend." I wasn't threatened by her in the least bit.

"Hanging out with any of your college friends?" I found the question odd and out of character, even for her.

"Uh, no? Why do you ask that?"

"No reason. You went to UCLA, if I remember correctly from your resume, right?"

She actually looked at it? That shocked me because when she interviewed me a few months back she barely even had a dialogue with me and practically hired me on the spot.

"Yeah. Why?"

"It's interesting, you know. I have a close friend that works high up in administration over there and I had the pleasure of having lunch with her the other day. But when I mentioned your name, she didn't recognize it."

What the hell was she getting at? There is no way that she dug deep enough to find out that I graduated when I actually did instead of the date I gave on my resume. I couldn't let her know that she somehow spooked me so with all the confidence I could muster up, I looked at her and responded. "I don't see how that is interesting at all. You know, there are like thousands of students that attend that school every year? I'm sure it's difficult to remember every name, don't you think?" I answered unphased. "Have a good weekend, Celeste," I said before walking out but I didn't miss the way her face scowled at my tone.

On the drive home, my mind kept wandering back to what Celeste said. It was pretty random for her to make any kind of small talk with me. The most Celeste spoke to me was when she needed something done, not to ask about my weekend plans.

"Oh good, you're home," I said when I saw Rachel saunter out of her room.

"Wow, miss me or something?"

"So much," I rolled my eyes. "What, no Lana?" And I spoke too soon because seconds later came Rachel's girlfriend.

"Hey, Brittany."

"How are you, Lana?"

"Good. Yourself?"

"Good."

"Lana and I were just about to open a bottle of wine and celebrate her winning a huge case, right baby? Wanna join us?"

"Yes! I could use a glass, or two," I sighed.

"Rough day?"

"No, just a weird day."

"What happened?"

"Before I left, Celeste made a comment to me and I can't stop thinking about it. She brought up the fact that I went to UCLA. Apparently, she has a friend that works there and she said that when she mentioned my name and the year I graduated that she did not recognize the name."

Since Lana had become a permanent fixture in Rachel's life, we had brought her in on our little secret. It was freeing to know that someone who Rachel was with and trusted was in on the truth. It definitely made going on double dates with them a lot easier and what was even more endearing was that she never judged me or the situation I was in, not once.

"Why is she even asking about you?"

"I have no idea. It was just so strange. We hardly ever communicate, especially now that I don't work directly under her and when we do communicate, it's mostly just her asking me to do something work-related. But she made it a point to have this conversation with me and it just kind of made me a little uneasy," I said before taking a sip of wine that Rachel had since poured for us. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just overthinking this. Maybe it doesn't mean anything."

"Maybe you're right. Let's not stress about it. She can't prove anything nor do I think she would go that far to find out something she doesn't even know she's looking for," Rachel said trying to reassure me.

"Yeah. Okay. Anyways, so what's this about winning a big case?" I turned my attention to Lana.

My weird encounter with Celeste was long forgotten about thanks to both Rachel and Lana and maybe with a little help from the bottles of wine we had eventually gone through. Saturday came and went as we spent lounging around the house before deciding to spend the night at Dominic's bar, both because he was working and because the bar was the best place to be on a Saturday night. With Sunday flying by yet another week of work was starting except this time Santana would be back.

Santana. It was strange. For two weeks I had deeply felt her absence but not once did I take a second to think exactly why that was. Probably because that would be overthinking the situation. The obvious facts were there, we had a lot in common, she had gone through a similar situation with a divorce, she was a mom, she loved literature, maybe even more than I did and she just got me. Being around Santana was easy and enjoyable, we were able to switch between light conversation and work mode flawlessly but that was it, right? She was just becoming a really good friend, one she could trust and confide in, one she probably hadn't had in a long time. And I was more than willing to be that person for her, a good friend.

There was definitely a pep in my step as I strolled through the lobby Monday morning, fresh cup of coffee in my hand and not from the cafeteria on our floor but instead from the corner coffee shop because I had actually woken up with enough time to get ready and grab a cup before arriving at the office.

"Morning," I chirped as I passed by Quinn's desk, dropping a cup of coffee off.

"What's got you all happy this morning? You do realize it's Monday and Monday's freaking suck, right?" She groggily mumbled.

"Monday's don't bother me."

"You're weird. But I'm definitely not complaining about the coffee."

"Late night?"

"I don't know what I was thinking agreeing to go out on a Sunday. I can't hang like I used to. It's always the same shit with my friends, one drink turns into two and then three and then next thing I know it's two in the morning and I'm drunk."

"Aren't you old enough to not give in to peer pressure?" I giggled as she closed her eyes and rubbed her temple.

"Shut up. And like out of all the days, we have a meeting in thirty minutes. I don't think I can handle being a productive human today."

"I guess I picked a great day to get you coffee, huh? Maybe you can use this muffin more than I can. Here. Eat. Take some Advil and suck it up," I said before rushing off to my desk to make sure I had enough time to go through my emails before our meeting. It was funny, some employee's dreaded these meetings, especially those that are behind on deadlines knowing full well that they would have to answer to Santana but I found that I rather enjoyed these meetings. Mostly because watching Santana go into full boss mode was fascinating and also because I never had anything to fear. My work was always done. It helped that I was working directly with Santana for a while now but regardless I had nothing to worry about.

Thirty minutes later I was seated in the conference room next to a less hungover Quinn who had seemed to make herself look more presentable than she did earlier. We shared a quiet conversation as we waited for Santana to arrive but my attention was drawn to Celeste who had been staring at me in an unusual way for the last minute. It made the hairs on my arm stand straight up and I tried my best to not give her the satisfaction of knowing she was indeed making me uncomfortable. Thankfully, Santana walked in right before the staring could make me any more uneasy and we were suddenly thrown into the meeting. It was so good to see Santana again after two weeks and she looked lighter and refreshed from her trip.

"We have a big few weeks coming up with the newest publishing being finalized. Good job to everyone that has worked tirelessly to get it completed, especially I'd like to take a second to point out Brittany's hard work on the project and of course, Brian who has been working non-stop on the final marketing decisions. Good start to the year, guys. That's all I have for us today, quick and easy, but let's go through a few things we have coming up and then I'd like to open up the meeting to everyone for updates on other projects going on. Luke, how's it going with the second installment of the series you're working on?"

She continued to go around the room to get updates on the on-going projects we had open and seemed satisfied with everyone's progress. I was flattered that she mentioned my name in the meeting, although I wasn't particularly the most welcoming to public praise, I didn't seem to mind this one coming from Santana. However, I did feel a little uneasy when Celeste managed to give me a questioningly look upon hearing Santana speak about my great work. Quinn and I snuck out of the conference room as soon as the meeting wrapped and I made sure to avoid Celeste's glare as we did. I wanted to stop by Santana's office and ask her about our upcoming week but figured she probably had a lot of work to catch up on. And I was right because she never left her office once after the meeting, the door closed the entire time. Completely lost in one of the manuscripts I had been reading, I never realized that most of the office had left for the evening. Looking down at my watch, I noticed that it was much later than I had planned to stay at work so I put the manuscript back in my purse and shut down my computer but noticed the light in Santana's office still on. It wasn't rare for her to work late but considering she never left the room once, I was a little worried that she had gotten too caught up in work.

I took a chance and made my way to the slightly cracked door. I peeked my head in as I knocked and saw her tear her eyes away from the computer screen.

"Brittany. Hey," she smiled. "Come in."

"So, how's the first day back after your luxury vacation?"

"I'd hardly call it luxury," she giggled. "Sure, France is beautiful but it's not all romance and relaxing with twins. And being back is a struggle but it's also nice to get back in the grind of things."

"Did they have fun?"

"Oh my god. They loved it. I swear Niko ate his way through France and Gabbie was melting when she saw the Eiffel Tower. I'd say it was a success. But how were things here?"

I thought about the last two weeks and was happy to report that everything was taken care of while she was gone. I did, however, omit the weird encounter I had with Celeste. She did _not _need to know about that.

"Everything was just fine here. See? Still standing, like I promised."

"You did. Thank you. So, you ready for these next two few weeks? It's going to be hectic."

"I'm ready. You saw my email about Allison? She'll be in on Thursday."

"I did. Thank you for setting that up."

"No problem. Well, I'm gonna head out. See you tomorrow," I told her.

"Shit. What time is it? I feel like the day just flew by."

"A little after seven."

"I should head out too. I'm wiped out plus I think I'm still a little jet-lagged," she laughed and I waited for her to pack up before leaving the office together and going our separate ways. Yeah, it was definitely good to have her back.

**Yay for another chapter! I'm proud of myself for getting this done so quickly after the last chapter was posted. Hope you guys liked it and as always, I look forward to hearing what you all think! :p**


	10. Reality Check

**CHAPTER 10**

**REALITY CHECK**

"This looks so fucking good, excuse my language."

Santana and I were currently in her office with a copy of the final binding of the book.

"It really does," I said relieved to finally see all our hard work in my hands. It was incredible seeing this through from the beginning. "So, now what?"

"Now," she said taking the book back from me. "We meet with Brian and Allison to work on signing dates, book launch, and cities we're going to promote in. You'll definitely be involved especially because I'm gonna need you to be at the first signing which will be here in LA."

"Okay. Sounds fun. I've never been to a launch for a book I've worked so closely on. This is insane."

"I know. This is the fun part. It's so satisfying to see the book you've put so much time into on shelves, people in line waiting to read it. And I know this one is going to be successful even though she's a first time published writer."

"When are we meeting with them?"

"Monday, first thing. We're gearing to have it launched the first week of March so we have some time but we need to coordinate everything, make sure it's all set to go."

"Awesome. So no late nights this week?" I said and almost detected a hint of sadness in my own voice.

"Not this week. And don't forget on your downtime to keep reading through that pile. I assume you haven't found anything yet or else you would've already bombarded me with something, right?" She smirked.

"You're not wrong," I smiled knowing I wouldn't be able to hide my giddiness at the prospect of finding new work. "But I'll keep searching. I thought I was close to something last week but it was missing that wow factor."

"No rush. You need to take your time with these things. Plus, we're doing fine right now. With this launch and the other series in the works, we're not looking too bad."

"Right. No rush. Well, I'm headed home. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Have a good night, Brittany."

The remainder of the week was uneventful especially with the lack of one-on-one time with Santana. The weekend brought upon beautiful weather, which wasn't surprising in California. Dominic and I decided to take full advantage of the sun and the fact that neither one of us would be busy with work and went out for the day. The first stop was the coffee shop, as usual, followed by a short walk to the nearby park. We picked up a couple of breakfast sandwiches and decided to eat it outside on the benches. It was a relaxing day and shockingly not once did my mind stray to any thoughts of Santana.

I was trying my best to keep my thoughts about my boss at bay for many reasons. One being the fact that I was already in a relationship, a relationship that until now was light and fun. Secondly, Santana was my boss and therefore probably didn't even think about me in any way more than her employee especially because she was under the impression that I was at least ten years younger than her. Basically, this _relationship _could and never would be anything more than what it was, just two people who had the same love for literature and had way more in common than either of us would truly realize, working together.

After we had spent some time eating and sipping our coffee, Dominic suggested walking to an art gallery he had stumbled upon recently. Apparently, he was waiting for a moment to check it out and wanted me to accompany him. As we were walking along the side of the park a little boy no older than five came crashing into Dominic's legs.

"Woah there, little guy," he said gently as he stopped him from running out into the street. We both looked around to see if there was a frantic parent trying to run after him but didn't see anyone right away. The little boy suddenly looked scared and I immediately went into mom mode, bending down slowly to be eye level with him.

"Hi. My name is Brittany. Are you here with your mom or dad?" I asked softly hoping that I didn't scare him. He simply stared at me slowly nodding as tears started to form in his eyes.

"What's your name?" I continued to ask.

"Evan," he answered cutely.

"Were you playing on the swings?" I asked pointing in the direction of the park in the distance. He nodded again sticking to communicating with minimal words. "Okay. Hold on. We'll find your parents," I said before standing up to look around once again making sure he didn't leave my sight. From the left, I saw a woman running toward us and knew immediately that this was his mom. The fear in her eyes was evident and I suddenly knew what she was feeling.

When Sam was six years old, we had gone to Target to buy a few things while Aaron was still at work. She was always so good about staying close to me but this particular day, she got caught up looking at a toy that was left behind in the cleaning aisle and when I turned the corner she didn't follow. Two minutes later, I looked behind to find Sam nowhere near me. Granted, thirty seconds later I heard my name being yelled and I rushed to her side my heart pounding in fear of losing my daughter and for the fear Sam must have felt of being all alone.

"Oh my gosh! Evan!" The woman said quickly scooping up the little boy in her arms. "What did I say about running away like that?" She said to the boy before looking between Dominic and I. "Thank you both so much. I turned for a second and he was just gone."

"I understand. My daughter has given me a few scares when she was little," I said giving the woman a warm smile in understanding.

She nodded before thanking us a few more times and walking back with a stronghold of her son.

I started to walk in the direction we were headed when I realized Dominic was not walking with me. I looked back to find him staring at me with a softness in his eyes. Giving him a questioning look, I turned back toward him. "What?"

"Nothing," he said shaking himself out of his trance. "It's just, I know you're a mom and all but seeing you with that boy just made it real, you know? Like I saw your motherly instincts kick in. It just was really cute," he said.

"Cute?" I asked. I heard what he said but his eyes were saying something much more.

"Yeah. I don't know. Come on," he said before wrapping his arm around my shoulder dropping the conversation.

After walking around the gallery and talking to the artist, Dominic and I decided to head back home and lounge around the house. Rachel and Lana were out of town for the weekend visiting a vineyard so my weekend was set with Dominic. We both sat on the couch while I read yet another script and Dominic worked on his laptop in comfortable silence.

I felt him shift on the couch before setting his laptop down on the coffee table and huffing. I sneaked a glance at him but didn't give in to his hint of probably being bored. Except that became a little more difficult as he let out another, and much more obvious, huff.

"Yes?" I questioned resting the manuscript against my chest.

He sat up as my legs spread around his body. "Have you ever thought about having kids?"

I raised my eyebrow in questioning as I stared at him. The question took me completely off guard because in case he had forgotten, I had a kid already.

"You know I have a daughter, Dom. Remember? Sam? The one you met just a few weeks ago?"

"Yes. I remember," he said rolling his eyes. "I guess what I meant was, have you ever thought about having _more _kids?"

"Uh, no. Not particularly. I'm not exactly young, Dom. I can't just think about having kids at my age. And plus, even if I could, I don't know if I would want to."

And that was true. There was a point in my marriage where I thought about having another so Sam would grow up with a sibling but I guess I never wanted it enough to actually go through with it. And looking back on everything, I'm glad that I didn't. Not with Aaron, at least. And now, now that I was nearing my forties, having a child was _definitely _not in the cards for me. It was such a big commitment, and after the last eighteen years of raising Sam, I just couldn't imagine doing that all over again.

"Right, yeah. That's cool," he said sounding disappointed but not causing too much attention to it before leaning back against the couch and resuming whatever work he was doing on his laptop. But there was no way I could just go back to what I was doing because with this one comment, everything just got a lot more serious.

A part of me wanted to ignore it and continue on as if nothing was ever said but another part, a much stronger part, couldn't. How was I so blind and naive to think that Dominic wouldn't want a family? Something I knew I would never be able to give him.

"Dom," I said.

"Hm," he responded never lifting his eyes off the screen.

"Dominic. We should talk about this," I sighed before sitting up and grabbing the laptop off his lap.

"Talk about what?"

"This," I pointed between the two of us. "Us, kids. I guess we've never really had _the _conversation, have we?"

"And what conversation is that?"

"You know, the serious one. Like what we want in our lives, in our future and how that fits in with us."

"Oh, _that _conversation." I knew he didn't want to have it and frankly, neither did I. I'd much rather stay in this bubble we had both created ignoring everything complicated life had to offer but that wasn't realistic, nor was it fair to either one of us.

"What do you want?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, like with your future."

"I don't know. I've never really thought about it. I always figured I would eventually find someone that I loved and we would settle down, start a family, you know, the usual." I nodded to let him know I understood and was listening. "But then I met you and I guess I never really stopped to think of anything beyond that."

"I," I started but didn't really know what to say. "I don't think I could ever give you all that. I don't want kids. I have Sam and she is my world and that's enough for me."

"I understand that. I'm okay with that. Just forget I ever said anything, honestly. You make me so happy, Britt and if our future isn't exactly what I pictured in my head before meeting you then I don't care. I just want you."

I tried to let his words sink in and wanted so desperately to believe him but I was robbing him of having everything he had always envisioned for himself. Before I could protest and express what I was thinking, he quickly changed the subject.

"Let's not talk about this anymore, okay? Just believe me when I say I'm happy. I'm happy with you and with us." I nodded weakly. I couldn't just ignore this. So many things were suddenly becoming clear to me and I desperately needed to talk to someone. The one time I needed Rachel, she decided to leave town. "What should we do for dinner?"

I tried my best not to act distant the rest of the weekend but I couldn't get myself to focus on anything anymore. How could I have been so selfish? I should have known from the beginning that regardless of someone accepting me for my age or what I had been through would never change the fact that our ages put a huge wall between us and it would just be a matter of time before it would explode in our face. Dominic was sweet, one of the sweetest guys I had ever met and he deserved to find love, a love that would want to give him everything and more. Sunday night, as I drove away from his place, I knew what I had to do and it was not going to be easy.

As Monday rolled around, I immersed myself with work, as I tended to do when my life wasn't going as smoothly as I'd like. Lucky for me, it was going to be a busy week and I would have plenty of time alone and away from Dominic to figure out what my next move was going to be.

"Morning, Brittany. Allison should be here in fifteen minutes. We'll meet in the conference room," Santana said to me first thing in the morning.

"Okay. See you in fifteen." I made myself a cup of coffee to fuel up before the meeting.

"Hey, Britt. Drinks this week?" Quinn asked as she made herself a cup as well.

"Uh, yeah. Sure."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. Everything's good. Just this meeting with Santana about the book launch, that's all."

"Okay," she said. "So, definitely drinks then. Plus, I could use a girls night out. I'm so over Elijah."

"Sure, Quinn. I'll let you know when I'm free." After grabbing the iPad that Santana had recently gifted all her junior and senior editors, I made my way to the conference room wanting to arrive before Allison.

The meeting was overwhelming but in the best way. I still couldn't believe that only after a short time of working here I was going to be apart of a book launch. This just seemed surreal. Allison was beyond pleased with the final product and couldn't wait to get her published work on shelves and Brian was on top of everything from locations, to times and marketing. The first book signing was going to take place at the local book shop in Los Angeles the first week of March and I was antsy for that day to come. I had been to many book signings in my life and was always on the consumer side of things. Seeing the behind the scenes of how these were put together and the logistics and planning that went into it was so cool. I was trying my best to contain myself from geeking out because it was so _not _cool to fangirl about these things in front of my boss. But internally, I was freaking out. Santana concluded the meeting and dismissed everyone but asked me to hang back.

"So, how hard were you trying to hold in your excitement just now?" She asked and my cheeks immediately flushed.

I was caught and rather than sit here and deny it, I exhaled a breath I didn't realize I had been holding and nodded like a dork. "Oh my god. I thought I was hiding it!" I squeaked covering my mouth with my hand with shocking myself with my sudden outburst.

"You were, well, at least to them you were," she winked playfully. "I, on the other hand, saw right past your calm demeanor. Guess it's because of all of those late nights we've spent together. I know you better than you think."

And for a second I let those words sink in. It was ironic for her to make a comment like that because, on one hand, it was true, she probably _did _know me better than I thought but on the other hand, she had no clue who I really was only who I was _pretending _to be.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Aw, are you blushing? Don't be embarrassed. You should've seen me when I was involved with my first launch. I was probably around your age when my dad let me in on it all, from beginning to end, and I was much worse at holding in my excitement. So, I applaud you."

"Well, thanks." I'm glad that she took the blushing as a sign of embarrassment. And I guess that was part of the reason for my cheeks to turn so red but the other was the fact that not only did she look so incredibly adorable when she winked but also how the words of knowing me so well slipped off her tongue.

"Oh, before I forget, there's this retreat that happens every year that I go to in San Diego. A bunch of authors, editors, and publishers come together to mingle and listen to some seminars and I normally take someone with me but this year I wanted to formally invite you and Quinn."

"Really? Wow, um, yeah, that would be awesome. When is it?"

"End of the month, so two weeks from now. I know it's a little last minute but I completely forgot to mention it to the both of you before the New Year and then with being out of the office for so long and coming back to this book, I completely blanked. Anyways, the hotel is completely paid for by the company and there's usually a dinner that they have Saturday night."

"Oh," I said as my shoulders slumped. That was the same weekend I was supposed to be with Dominic in San Francisco. This was such an amazing opportunity to meet people for our company but I had already committed to Dominic. "Uh, I'm actually out of town that weekend."

The disappointment in Santana's face was easy to see. "Oh, okay. That's a shame. Next year then."

"Yeah. Next year."

"Well, I should get back to work. Lots of things to coordinate."

"Yeah. Okay."

Our time together ended abruptly after that and suddenly I started to feel guilt and a sense that I had somehow let Santana down, which was ridiculous. The rest of the week was uneventful and I hardly saw Santana, or at least not as much as I had grown accustomed to. Between that and the fact that my mind was still racing about the situation with Dominic, the week went by sluggishly slow. On the plus side, I had a great night out with Quinn which allowed me to temporarily take my mind off everything that had been consuming my thoughts. Over the weekend I found myself picking fights with Dominic, fights I would normally never think to have with someone. Things so petty such as why he had ordered orange chicken instead of the beef or things like why he was playing Playstation while I was sitting there next to him extremely bored. Dominic was a patient soul but even he started to notice the change in my behavior and by Sunday it seems he had enough.

"Is everything okay? Did I do something to upset you or something?"

"No," I said shortly and knew that I wasn't being fair to him. It wasn't like me to snap for no apparent reason but I just couldn't help myself. It's as if ever since the subject of kids and the future came up I was trying to sabotage this relationship instead of dealing with it like the adult I was.

"Britt, come on. Talk to me. You freaked out yesterday about the way I parked the car. Makes no sense. Just talk to me, please?"

I sighed before looking up into his soft eyes and I knew the tears that I had been holding on to for more than a week were very close to seeping out of my eyes. "I'm sorry," I breathed out before collapsing into his chest. His strong arms immediately wrapped around my body holding me up as the tears began to flow.

"Hey," he whispered into my hair. "Shh, hey. It's okay. Whatever is bothering you, we can figure it out." And I shook my head against his body knowing that it wasn't something we could just talk about and things would just go back to the way they were. Because the reason I was starting to lash out was due to the fact that I had already made the decision. This needed to end and I wasn't ready to let it go but I had no other choice. This was never going to be and I wasn't suddenly going to have a happily ever after with Dominic. And a part of me questioned the reasons for my tears. I guess the logical reason would be because this was the end but mainly I think it was because I would be alone again. I care about Dominic so much but I guess deep down I knew this wasn't that forever kind of relationship.

"I'm so sorry, Dom," I said again through a rather loud sob.

"For what?" He asked as he gently lifted my head, wiping away tears as they fell.

"This, us. I should've never done this."

"What are you talking about, Brittany? What's wrong with this?" I could see the panic in his eyes and knew this was not going to be easy, for either one of us.

"Nothing. You are so perfect. It's almost unfair how perfect you are and so patient. You have opened your heart and looked past all my flaws but I just," I started to say before taking a minute to control my breathing. "I can't keep going like this and pretend everything is fine. Dominic, I don't want kids. And I don't see that changing. Ever. And I know you keep assuring me that you are okay with that but I know that isn't true and it's hurting you, it's hurting me and it's hurting us. Plus, you still have so much to do, so much to experience and accomplish and I am just not at the same place as you. You can't tell me I'm wrong."

I saw a tear start to form in his eyes and even though he was this strong man, the emotion behind his eyes was heartbreaking. He hung his head but never let go of his hold on me. "But, I can learn to get over that."

"No, you shouldn't have to. Can you look into my eyes and tell me with everything you have that you never want kids? That you don't want that life you always pictured for yourself? Can you honestly tell me that you won't want to expand your business or live somewhere else in the world? Want a wife that is going to want all that and more?"

He stared deep into my reddening eyes, his eye color now matching mine. "I," he said shaking his head. "I want _you._ Why can't that be good enough?"

That broke my heart. Because I wish that that was good enough for me too but the truth was it wasn't enough.

"I wish it could be. I care about you _so _much but I don't think I could ever move past this. It would tear us apart and you would end up resenting me and we would have this awful break-up and I just can't do that again, not after already going through a divorce. I just _can't._ And I know after everything you went through in your last relationship, another heartbreak like this would break you, too. We can't do that to each other."

He kissed me, which I was not expecting but this kiss was nothing like any other kiss we had shared. This was soft and had so much emotion poured into it. It wasn't a kiss that tried to move anything further physically but more of his way of letting me know he understood and that deep down he knew I was doing the right thing, it was a loving kiss. He separated our lips but only enough to leave a little space to speak, resting his forehead against mine. "You're right. You saved me, Britt and I just," he said looking deep into my eyes. "I just wish this could be different. I want to be with you so bad but you're right. I never want to resent you or hate you for any reason."

And he didn't need to explain what he meant when I saved him. Because the truth was he saved me too. He came into my life when I was lost and just trying to find myself. A time when I didn't know if I would ever find someone to care about or who cared about me, someone who got me to open up my heart and live life fully. He saved me and I saved him and I would forever hold a special place for him in my heart.

"You saved me, too," I whispered and that's all that needed to be said as we stood embraced. That night, as I drove home for the last time from his place, I reflected on how much my life had changed in just a few short months. And for the first time, I felt comfortable in my skin and it was okay to be single and by myself. I was going to be okay.

And maybe this thing I was feeling toward Santana was just my way of rocking the boat of my steady life? Because it was a fantasy and could never happen. And for once, I think I was okay with not having anyone except my close friends. My daughter was growing up and studying abroad and I finally was able to blossom at a job I was born to do. And although the wound was fresh, I knew deep in my heart that Dominic would be in my life for a long time.

Realizing that I no longer would be accompanying Dominic on his work trip, I stopped by Santana's office first thing Monday morning.

"Hey, Santana. Have a minute?"

"Yeah, of course. Come in."

"My weekend plans fell through last minute so I can go to the retreat after all. I hope it's not too late."

"No, of course not. I'll have my team book you a room. We need to be there by ten Saturday morning, the first seminar is at eleven. I'm sorry whatever you had planned fell through but this is a great opportunity for you," she said.

I had no intention of mentioning anything about my break-up or that my plans involved a weekend getaway with my boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend now. It just wasn't professional to discuss personal things and so I kept it vague. "Yeah. I'm excited to be there," I said and excused myself.

"Quinn, you're still going to San Diego, right?"

"Hell yeah, I am! There's no way in hell I'd miss this. It's invite-only and last year Quinn took Celeste and another editor but when she asked me this year, I said yes immediately. Wait, are you coming?"

"Yup!"

"Weren't you like going to San Francisco with the hottie boyfriend of yours?"

"Yeah, that kind of got canceled," I shrugged off.

"Canceled? Why?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask." I responded withholding the real reason why I was no longer going. I knew the second I mentioned a break-up, Quinn would insist that we leave for lunch and spend the next hour or two discussing it and considering it had been less than twenty-four hours since it ended, I was not entirely up to that sort of conversation.

"Whatever. I'm so happy you're coming! I mean, sure, I was stoked to go but it was also going to be so freaking boring without someone to hang out with after the seminars."

"Glad to be of entertainment."

Although Quinn didn't know about the break-up, the fact that she now knew I was going to San Diego with her she insisted we go to lunch and plan our night of freedom once we were there, since the retreat was only on Saturday and in her words, it wouldn't matter if we were hungover as fuck, on Sunday. And I had to admit, after lunch, my excitement grew for the upcoming weekend even enough to distract me for just a while of the emotionally draining weekend I just had.

**ANOTHER CHAPTER! AND WE JUST REACHED OUR 60TH REVIEW. AND FOR ME, THAT IS AMAZING. I'M SO THANKFUL FOR ALL OF YOU THAT TAKE THE TIME TO READ MY STORY AND LEAVE A REVIEW. IT REALLY MOTIVATES ME TO KEEP WRITING.**

**WHEN I POSTED MY FIRST STORY, IT WAS ALREADY COMPLETE AFTER A YEAR OF WRITING BUT THIS ONE I TOOK THE LEAP AND DECIDED TO POST AS I GO BUT I NEVER REALIZED HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES. BUT EVERY REVIEW AND FOLLOW KEEPS ME GOING AND MAKES ALL THE TIMES THAT I'VE STAYED HOLED UP AT HOME TO WRITE WORTH IT. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU! **

**I HOPED YOU GUYS ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER AND UP NEXT WE HAVE THE RETREAT! AND YES, DOMINIC IS FINALLY GONE. I'M NOT SURE IF HE'LL POP BACK UP BUT I WILL SAY, WITHOUT ANY SPOILERS, THAT IF HE DOES HE WON'T BE CAUSING ANY ISSUES BETWEEN SANTANA AND BRITTANY IN THE FUTURE. **


	11. Lions and Tigers and Bears

**AND I'M BACK! I RESTARTED THIS CHAPTER TWICE BECAUSE I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH IT. BUT I THINK THIS IS A MUCH BETTER RESULT. **

**THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU WHO CONTINUE TO READ AND LEAVE REVIEWS! I APPRECIATE YOU ALL AND IT'S WHAT KEEPS ME GOING AND DEFINITELY MOTIVATES ME TO SPEND ALL MY FREE TIME WRITING. HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY! **

**CHAPTER 11**

**LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS**

"This wine is freaking delicious," I moaned as the liquid coated my tongue.

"Right? We ordered a whole case last weekend," Rachel said.

Rachel, Lana and I were cozied up on the couch having a much-needed girls night. "Great choice. I can't get enough," I said taking another sip.

"So, how are you doing, Britt?"

"I'm okay, I guess," I answered settling more into the couch while tucking my legs under a blanket.

"Rachel told me about you and Dominic. I'm really sorry to hear that it ended," Lana said sincerely. She had become a genuine friend of mine.

"Yeah. I'm sorry too. But it was going to end and I guess it was better sooner than later, you know?" I shrugged.

The night that Dominic and I ended things, I cried myself to sleep. Regardless of the reality of our age difference and the fact that we never had any chance of a future or thetype of relationship either one of us wanted or deserved, we still had a connection and I cried because of the loss. The next morning I expected to feel my heart hurting and heavy, only to find myself feeling surprisingly okay.

"Maybe this weekend will help take your mind off of things," Rachel chimed in.

"Yeah. It might. It's weird though. I think I just expected myself to like go into a slight depression or something." Saying that out loud almost made me chuckle. I sounded like a high school student who just broke up with their first boyfriend. "Anyway, enough about me. What do you two lovebirds have planned this weekend?"

"Nothing crazy. Lana has a work thing that we're going to, right honey?"

"Yeah. It'll be boring, as usual. But the food will be delicious and they serve really good wine, so it can't be too bad." Rachel was so whipped, in the best way possible. She would never in a million years attend anything like this but then again, I'd never seen Rachel so happy and in love in my entire life.

"You and Quinn leave Saturday?"

"Yeah, early in the morning. We need to get there by 10, I think. I'm pretty excited, supposedly this is a great place to meet people in the business."

"And maybe, you'll meet someone your age that you connect with," Rachel said and by the smirk plastered on her face, I knew exactly what she meant.

"Really? Don't you think it's a little soon for me to be thinking about dating? And not to mention, Quinn _and _Santana will be there this weekend. So, I can't exactly promote myself as a thirty-eight-year-old divorcee," I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. You're right," Rachel conceited. "There's always Santana," she said wiggling her eyebrows.

"This again? Give it a rest, Rach."

"Just teasing you. Go, be a boss and have fun."

/

My alarm went off a lot earlier than I'd like for a Saturday morning and I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed and straight into the shower, hoping it would help wake me up. Once I was showered and wrapped in a towel, I grabbed a small overnight bag to pack some things I'd need for the night. Luckily for us, the retreat was only for Saturday, meaning we had Saturday night to ourselves and would head home sometime on Sunday. Quinn had mentioned more than once that we would most definitely be going out Saturday night so I made sure to pack something cute. After picking something to wear to bed as well as making sure my toiletry bag was packed, I quietly tiptoed down the hall and toward the kitchen to grab a banana, knowing I wouldn't be eating a proper meal until lunch. My phone buzzed from its spot on the kitchen island and I was surprised to see Quinn's name appear on the screen considering she didn't need to pick me up for another hour.

"Well, you're up early."

"_I know. I couldn't sleep. I'm so excited for this weekend!" _

"Really? I mean, sure it's a pretty cool opportunity but I didn't think it was anything to get _this _excited about."

"_Well, yeah, of course, it's a great opportunity but I'm more excited to go out in San Diego. I can do whatever I want there and I plan on getting wasted and enjoying a weekend far away from the real world."_

I knew what she meant. After the first time Quinn opened up to me about Elijah and her parents, she was more comfortable about voicing her true feelings about it all. And when Quinn said she was excited to get away from the real world this weekend, she meant to get away from her life in LA.

"_By the way, I'm stopping to grab us coffee and something to eat. What would you like?" _

"You don't have to do that. I can make a cup here."

"_Don't be silly. It's on my way. We need fuel to get through the day."_

After giving a very pushy Quinn my coffee order, I turned my focus back onto packing and finalizing my outfit for the day. Time must have flown by because as I put my chosen outfit on, my phone was buzzing again to let me know that she was downstairs waiting for me.

"One black coffee with light cream for you," Quinn said as she handed me the fresh cup my eyes lighting up at the prospect of caffeine. "Oh and a croissant."

"Thanks, Quinn."

We had over a two-hour drive ahead of us without traffic and considering how early we hit the road, we were expected to skip most of that.

"Did Elijah say anything about you being gone all weekend?"

"Not really. It's not like we live together so I guess that's good. Plus, if anything, he's probably happy about that fact, if I'm being honest. Whatever, I don't want to think about him this weekend. What about you? I'm sure the hottie boyfriend is sad you won't be around. Especially since this weekend was supposed to be your weekend together away."

I still hadn't told Quinn about my break-up and it wasn't like I was trying to hide it or anything, I guess I just hadn't found the time to mention it with work and everything else. But what better time than a mini road trip?

"Actually, Dominic and I sort of broke up."

"What? When? Why?"

"Last weekend. We just wanted different things. It was sort of mutual and he wants to try and stay friends eventually, once the wound heals."

"Wow," Quinn said still shocked at the news. "That's like really mature and shit. But still sucks. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm okay. But let's just say that I'm excited to leave the real world for a couple of days too."

"Now we are _for sure _getting wasted tonight."

The final hour went by rather quickly as we listened to music and finished our coffee. After stopping for a quick restroom break we were back on the road.

"So we check in at ten, get our room and the first seminar is at 11. Right?" Quinn asked.

"Yeah. Think so."

The drive to San Diego was beautiful, much more scenic compared to the freeways of Los Angeles. If only it were summer I would've loved to spend some time at the beach.

"I think I'm gonna do it," Quinn spoke up again. Had I zoned out? I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Do what?"

"Break up with Elijah," she muttered carefully as if she were still trying to convince herself. "I know I'm wasting my time with him and I don't want to wake up one day with my twenties gone because of him, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. I think this is good for you, Quinn. And who knows, maybe you'll find someone who your parents approve of _and _treat you the way you deserve."

"I hope you're right. I don't think I'll tell them right away. I just need time to myself without them up my ass about every little thing."

We finally arrived at the hotel where the conference would be taking place and went straight to the lobby to check-in. There were a lot of people and I assumed most were here for the same thing we were but none of them were Santana. I'm sure we would see her soon. After finding our rooms which happened to conveniently be across the hall from each other and quickly freshening up, we were on our way back downstairs to find the room that would hold the first seminar.

Upon checking in, we were given an itinerary for the day which consisted of lunch in the outdoor patio with appetizers and drinks, assumably this would be the time to meet people, and then another optional seminar before dinner. Our day would end around eight which Quinn was more than happy to find out, giving us plenty of time to get hot, as she put it, and go out in the Gaslamp District.

Before we made our way into the room to find a seat, a familiar voice greeted us immediately putting an unnoticed smile on my face.

"Hey Quinn, Brittany. Get checked in?"

Quinn responded as my eyes raked over her body. It wasn't something I intended to do but with her standing in front of me, it was almost impossible not to and she looked good, really good. But I snapped back into professional mode and smiled in greeting keeping my eyes on her face and nowhere else.

"The speaker is a good friend of mine and usually my favorite seminar of the day. You both will enjoy it. I'll see you later for lunch."

Just like Santana said, the seminar was enjoyable as the speaker lectured on the best ways to find good work. We were reminded of the luncheon that would take place immediately after with cocktails and appetizers on the patio.

The patio was overlooking the ocean and although it was February, the sun had poked through and felt warm against my skin.

"Ladies, may I offer you a mimosa?" A waiter offered as we stood around tall cocktail tables. We both accepted and looked around at the many different types of people here. There were publishers, editors, and authors everywhere. Somehow we got to talking to a couple of young authors, one who Quinn gravitated to immediately leaving me alone with the other.

"So, where are you from?" I asked to be polite. I wasn't sure what kind of work he produced but it didn't hurt to find new and upcoming talent.

"I'm originally from Arizona but I moved to Orange County a few years ago after college. You?"

"Ohio but I live in LA now. Did you go to school for writing?"

"Yeah, I did. I had one of my novels published last year with a small publishing house and now working on finalizing my second. I'm hoping to get the attention of a few bigger places this time. You write?"

"No, I'm actually a Junior Editor at L&L Publishing."

I didn't mean to name drop. I was still getting used to the fact that I indeed _did _work at a very well known and successful place.

"Holy shit!" He exclaimed as his eyes bugged out. "Excuse my language, but you work for Santana Lopez?" I slowly nodded my head and reached in my purse to grab a business card for him.

"Yup. Here's my card. When you're done, send me a copy and I'll read it over. See if it's something we would be interested in. What genre?"

"Uh." It was clear he still wasn't over the fact that he was talking to someone who worked at L&L Publishing. "Fiction, mystery."

"Series?"

"Standalone."

"Cool. Well, like I said, when you think you have a final product, call me."

After speaking with him a little longer, I made my way to the other side of the patio where Quinn had moved.

"Meet anyone cool?" I asked as a waiter offered us a crab cake.

"Yup. A solo editor that doesn't work for any publisher right now. I guess she's looking for a publishing house to work with."

"Does Santana use outside editors?"

"Sometimes. It depends on the author too. The seasoned authors that sign with us usually have an editor they like to work with or who they've worked with before. What about you?"

"That one guy, Luke, from earlier. He seemed cool. I don't know anything about his writing though. I did give him my card to see what happens. Other than that, just kind of mingling here and there."

We made it through the day and had time to rest in our rooms even with attending the last optional seminar. Shortly after finally lying flat on my back for the first time all day, a knock that I should've expected was heard.

"Miss me already?" I teased Quinn as she walked past me and plopped herself on my bed.

"I was bored. I didn't realize how tired I was until right now," she said from her spot as I joined her. The bed did feel incredible and I had to agree with her, we hadn't stopped since we got here and now that we had a minute to ourselves, suddenly exhaustion took over.

"Too tired to go out tonight?" I asked.

"Hell no. Are you crazy? We're not old, Britt. We just need to rest for ten minutes." I couldn't help but laugh internally. Although I didn't consider myself old, I surely wasn't in my twenties like she was and I could definitely see myself trying to call it an early night tonight, even if Quinn gave me a hard time. "What time do we need to be back down there?"

"Six. We have over an hour."

"Perfect. I'm setting an alarm. Twenty-minute power nap and we'll be good as new!"

"And you're napping in here?"

"Yeah. You have a king bed and I'm already comfortable."

And she was right. The quick nap really did help and I woke up feeling refreshed. Quinn went to her own room to freshen up while I did the same, fixing my hair and makeup and changing into something a little more appropriate for dinner.

The ballroom was set up like a fundraiser event would be with different tables around the hall and a single podium at the front for the speakers. A bar was set up by the entrance and it seemed that we were one of the last groups to make it down.

"Brittany, Quinn. I've been looking for you two," Santana said as she approached us with a man walking with her. "Bill, these are the two I've been telling you about. They are my best Junior Editors in years." The praise coming from Santana made my body heat up and even though she was directing the compliment to both us, it still felt good to hear her speak so highly of my work.

"Nice to meet you. I've known Santana for years and let me tell you, I don't think I've ever heard her introduce her Junior staff like that."

The smile on Santana's face spoke a thousand words. It was filled with pride, the pride of her employees and pride in her ever-growing business. We were being seated shortly after and I was pleased to see us at the same table with Santana.

Without thinking, Quinn and I took a seat next to each other and as I was adjusting the napkin on my lap I felt an elbow nudge me in my arm.

"Look who's sitting next to me," she whispered. I leaned forward only a little to not make it obvious and recognized the guy immediately. It was the same guy that Quinn first spoke to earlier today while I was talking to his author friend. Seems like they were at the same table.

"Okay. And?"

"And? Nothing," she said and I looked away not thinking anything of it. I found her behavior odd but couldn't figure out why but then it all clicked.

"Wait. Are you like crushing on him or something?" I asked still trying to keep my voice down low enough so he wouldn't hear.

"No. Maybe? I don't know, he's cute and nice."

"I don't see what the problem is. Talk to him," I encouraged but was distracted when I felt the chair next to mine be pulled out for someone to sit. I did my best to hide my excitement when Santana appeared in that very spot.

"Done mingling?"

"I forget how exhausting these things are," she huffed. "This might show my age but I can't wait to crawl into bed after this." I don't know what I was expecting. It's not like Santana was going to come out with us or anything like that because that would just be weird especially with Quinn around. I doubt the blonde would want to have her boss watch her get drunk but the fact that Santana would be at the hotel hanging out and I would be out on the town made a disappointing feeling creep up on me.

"That sounds nice. Wish I could do the same."

"What do you have planned after this?"

"Quinn wants to head downtown to grab drinks."

"Sounds fun. I guess it's a good thing that there's nothing planned for tomorrow, huh?" She teased insinuating that we would definitely be hungover tomorrow to function at a work thing.

Dinner was served, speeches were made and Santana and I fell into great conversation throughout the evening, Quinn easily distracted with her new friend. At the close of the retreat, we said our goodbyes to our new friends and made our way to the lobby to head back to our room.

"You guys have fun and I'll see you Monday," Santana said before excusing herself for the night. After all those late nights spent with Santana in her office, I almost wished that Quinn would go off by herself so that I could somehow make up a decent enough of an excuse to spend some time with her, maybe watch a movie in my room or something but I knew _that_ was never going to happen.

"Let's change, freshen up and meet by the elevator in thirty?" Quinn suggested. We went our separate ways and as she planned changed into much more suitable clothing for the bars downtown and layered on the make-up a little more than what I had prior. Happy with my outfit choice of black skinny jeans and a loose top paired with heeled booties, I took a seat in the chair next to the elevator to wait for Quinn. I sent a text to Rachel who had reached out earlier asking how my weekend was going when Quinn finally joined me.

"Damn, you look hot," she complimented.

"Thanks. So do you," I returned and she did, wearing a similar choice of outfit, her hair teased and eyeliner added to pop her hazel eyes. "Ready?"

"Yup. I already called an Uber to take us downtown. It's about ten minutes from here and then we can just walk around see which bars look good."

It had been years since I came to San Diego. The last time I was here was probably ten years ago when Sam was young and we had decided to go to Sea World as a family. We never went to the Gaslamp District because it was mostly filled with bars and restaurants alike which was no place for an eight-year-old.

The Uber dropped us off in front of a bar that already looked like it had hit max capacity. Most of the bars were small and set up next to each other and it seemed most people were just hopping from one to the next. It felt a lot more different than what we were accustomed to in Los Angeles but at the same time, it was more relaxed. People were dressed much more casually than LA and I quite enjoyed that. Quinn spotted a bar that must have stood out to her and dragged me across the small one-way street. After showing our ID's, we were making our way to the bar.

"Shots?" Quinn asked and I mentally tried to prepare myself for the night that we were about to have. I nodded as she turned back to the bartender ordering two shots.

We were able to find a small table toward the front and decided to sit and scope out the scene. We only stayed for one more drink before Quinn claimed that she didn't find a single guy attractive here and so we moved to our next destination.

This pattern continued and by the last call, we had been to five bars, had way too many shots and even found someone that Quinn can make out with. I, on the other hand, played the role of the most perfect wing woman. We stumbled our drunk selves into an Uber that took us back to the hotel and swayed our way through the lobby and into the elevator.

"I'm so drunk," Quinn slurred.

"Mhm. Me too," I mumbled back. I could already feel the headache that I would undoubtedly wake up with.

"This was fun. And that guy was fuckin' hot."

"Yeah, he was," I agreed and leaned my entire body against the elevator wall and rested my eyes. We both barely mumbled out a goodnight before I pushed myself through the door and struggled to take my clothes off. Deciding against any clothing, I slipped my tired and intoxicated body into the soft sheets and dozed off to sleep.

/

The pounding in my head and the light that was poking through the blinds that I forgot to close woke me up. Groaning, I turned my body enough to reach over to the nightstand and grab my phone. It was only seven in the morning, meaning I had barely gotten five hours of sleep. I pulled the covers over my head to block out all light and closed my eyes to try and go back to sleep but knew it was pointless.

I was never the type to sleep in and now that I was awake, going back to sleep would be near impossible. With the amount of alcohol Quinn consumed the previous night, I knew there was no chance that she would be awake at this time and probably not for another couple of hours at least. I dug through my purse to find the emergency Advil I carried with me and quickly swallowed two pills before turning on the hot water in the shower. Once I was showered, food was the next thing on my mind. It was eight-thirty and I remember the concierge mentioning breakfast being served downstairs until ten.

I tossed my wet hair into a bun and pulled on jeans and a t-shirt and grabbed my phone and my wallet before heading downstairs. The second I turned the corner toward the cafe, the smell of waffles and eggs hit my nose and my stomach flipped at the excitement of food. In the corner, they had two stations set up, one with a chef making fresh waffles to order and the other making custom omelets. Next to that, they had a table with the standard assortment of pastries of croissants, muffins, and bagels and then cereal options alongside yogurt.

I opted for an omelet, having them add cheese and veggies before grabbing yogurt with granola. The cafe was filled with many tables and to my surprise, most of them were filled. As I was glancing around for a place to sit, a familiar yet surprising voice caught my attention.

"Mommy, look! It's Brittany!" I knew I recognized that voice and when I turned to see Niko running toward me I was right. Close behind him was Santana who was being dragged by Gabbie.

"Niko, not so loud. And I see Brittany," she said in her "mom" voice.

"Hey, kiddo. What are you doing here?" I asked but looked up to Santana for answers. I didn't know the kids were here with her.

"I brought them with me since the retreat was only for the day."

"Want to eat breakfast with us?" Gabbie asked sweetly. She was still holding Santana's hand and tried to peek to see what kind of food I had on my plate.

"Honey, maybe Brittany has other plans," Santana said quickly.

"No, I was just looking for a place to sit, actually. I can get a table for the four of us if you want to get them settled with food." I knew how difficult it was to get your kid to eat or put a plate together, I couldn't imagine how it was with twins. She didn't seem to argue with my offer so I found the nearest table with four spots and set my food down.

"I want eggs like Brittany," I heard Gabbie say to Santana in the distance and smiled at the cuteness. I mixed the granola in my yogurt while waiting for the Lopez clan to join me.

Niko returned first holding a plate filled to the top with two hands, his tongues sticking out in pure concentration and that face resembled Santana so much it was kind of scary.

"Wow, dude. Got enough food?" I teased the little boy.

"I'm a growing boy. I need food so I get muscles," he answered so simply and I saw Santana roll her eyes at her son from behind.

"Yeah, let's see if you can finish it all and then we'll see about those muscles." He started to dig into the waffle that was covered in syrup and whipped-cream first before shoveling bacon into his mouth.

Gabbie, on the other hand, had an omelet similar to mine with a small bowl of cereal.

"I wasn't expecting to see you down here so early," Santana mentioned as she helped Gabbie cut her omelet. "Didn't you guys go out last night?"

"Yeah, we did. I'm honestly a little surprised myself that I'm here and functioning."

"Why? Too much adult juice?" Niko said and Santana all about choked on her yogurt and blushed in embarrassment.

"What do you know about adult juice, huh?" I said nudging him.

"Not much actually. I know it tastes bad and that mommy drinks a glass of it at dinner sometimes." Again, her son had managed to make her roll her eyes. I personally found him to be hilarious.

"Anyways, Quinn is probably still knocked out and I was starving so I came down for breakfast and now here we are," I smiled.

"Mommy, can Brittany come with us? Please! Pretty please!" Gabbie begged completely forgetting about her food.

"Baby, I'm sure Brittany has other things to do today and she drove here with someone else," Santana answered her daughter immediately. "And eat your food."

"That's not fair," the little girl said with a pout.

"Where are you guys going?" I asked intrigued on what Santana had in store for her kids.

"The zoo. I can't wait to see the tigers," Niko said bouncing in his seat.

"Niko, what did I say about chewing your food before talking?"

"Sorry," he quickly muttered before swallowing and turning fully in his seat to face me. "Have you seen the tigers?"

"I have. They're awesome," I smiled. I would love to spend the day with them at the zoo but I also didn't want to make Santana uncomfortable. Sure we had spent a lot of time together after work but that was always at the office, almost like a safe zone. This would be entirely different.

"I don't want to go if Brittany can't come," Gabbie continued to protest and pout. Santana sighed and started to negotiate with her daughter when I spoke up.

"I'd love to come." I surprised even myself by accepting the invitation by Gabbie. It was probably a little presumptuous of me to assume Santana would want me to tag along but I took a chance.

"You would?" She asked a look of shock and what I think was a hint of excitement mixed into one.

"Yeah, why not? I love the zoo and Quinn is a big girl. She can drive home alone. Of course, if you have room for me."

"Uh, yeah. Yes. Of course, there's room. You're sure, right?"

"Yes, Santana. I'm sure," I gave her a reassuring smile before our gaze was broken because of a small body being slammed into my lap. Gabbie had her arms around my neck within seconds of me accepting her gracious invitation. Today was going to be interesting, to say the very least and I just hope this was not crossing a line.

After breakfast, I went up to my room to pack up my things and hoped that Quinn was awake to let her know of my slight change of plans. The only thing I couldn't figure out was what I was going to tell the blonde. I couldn't just let it out that I was going to spend the day with Santana and her kids because that would be weird, right? I could always lie and mention something about Rachel and Lana being around and that they wanted to grab lunch and would drive me home but then she would want to join us so that wouldn't work. My last option was to use Dominic as an excuse.

"Goodmorning, sunshine," I teased Quinn when she finally opened the door after my third time of knocking. Her hair was a mess and her make-up was smudged not even attempting to take it off the night before.

"Morning," she said through a grunt. "You look refreshed. Did we not drink the same amount last night?"

"We did but I've been awake for hours. I already showered and ate breakfast."

"Ugh, you have too much energy. What time do we need to check out?"

"In an hour," I answered.

"Okay, I'll be ready to go in an hour."

"Actually, um, about that. So, Dominic called me this morning. I guess he wants to talk and he happened to be in the area so I'm going to meet up with him and probably just drive back with him too."

"Really? Dominic? Didn't you guys _just _break up?"

"Yeah but I owe him this I think. If you don't want to drive back alone I can tell him to meet me in LA," I said hoping that she wouldn't go with that plan.

"No, it's okay. Meet up with him. I can drive back by myself. Not a big deal."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. So, you heading out now?" I nodded and told her I'd see her in the office tomorrow. Thankfully, Santana and the kids were ready to go before Quinn checked out so she wouldn't see me leaving with them.

We packed the trunk with our bags and started our journey to the zoo.

"Mommy, can you put Aladdin?" Niko chimed from the back seat.

"No, I want Little Mermaid," Gabbie argued back.

"Guys, chill. We have plenty of time to listen to both."

"Brittany, do you know these songs?"

"Of course, I do. Disney movies are my favorite. What about Aladdin first, Santana?"

She smiled at me from her spot in the driver's seat and pressed play and turned up the volume as the soundtrack to Aladdin started to blast through the speakers. I could hear Niko belting out the words before Gabbie chimed in.

"Sing with us, Brittany!" I heard him yell over the music and he did not need to ask me twice before I joined in on the fun. I could see Santana laughing and shaking her head next to me as I started adding theatrics to my singing, turning my body slightly to face the back seat. The thirty-minute drive flew by with our sing-along and the kids were bouncing in their seats as we pulled into the parking lot.

After Santana and I bickered about purchasing my ticket, I finally gave in and let her buy it for me. She was a very stubborn woman but according to her, she already felt bad that her very persuasive children were able to get me to join them at the zoo so the least she could do was pay for my ticket. I insisted that it was not a drag and that I'm sure we would have a great day.

"Can we see the monkeys first?" Gabbie asked Santana her hand holding the older brunettes tightly while Niko skipped next to me.

"Sure," she said as she tried to spin the map in the right direction to see which way we needed to go. I couldn't contain the giggle that threatened to escape me at her confusion.

"Uh, need help?" I asked pointing to the map that I was pretty sure was upside down at this point.

"No, I can read a map to a zoo, Brittany," she snapped while rolling her eyes. We pulled over to the side near a bench to find our barrings. After another minute of watching Santana struggle and clearly growing more frustrated by the second, I stepped in.

"Here," I said gently before spinning the piece of paper in her hands. Once it was upright, I pointed to where we were currently standing. "So, we're here and the monkeys are here," I pointed out to our right. "Looks like we'll pass by the tigers and lions on the way. Should we do that first?" My question was directed to the twins who were becoming impatient.

"Yes! Tigers," Niko exclaimed.

The twins walked ahead of us but not far enough where Santana couldn't see. "I could read the map, you know. Just needed a second to find the entrance."

"I'm sure you were about to figure it out," I said and she gave me a pointed look quickly picking up on my teasing tone.

"I was," she replied pouting and crossing her arms across her chest. The park was huge and the walk toward the tigers took ten minutes as we maneuvered through the large crowds. Looks like the zoo was a popular place on a Sunday especially because the sun had yet again decided to grace us high in the sky.

The twins were absolutely fascinated by the animals along the tiger trail, as they referred to it and Santana took every chance she could to take pictures of her kids. After we made it through the monkey trail it was time from lunch and we were all beyond ready to eat. Even with our breakfast, all the walking we had done up until now made everyone very hungry.

"Niko, pepperoni?"

"Yes, please."

"Gabbs, cheese? Or want to try pepperoni," she asked her daughter sweetly.

"Just cheese."

"I'll have pepperoni, mommy," I joked with Santana. She didn't ask but I thought I'd join in since she had asked each child what they preferred. And I'm glad I did because the laughter that took over Santana's body was worth it.

"You're a weirdo, you know that?" She said through tears that had formed from laughing so hard. I just shrugged and proceeded to order my food.

"I'm stuffed," Niko said as he leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah, maybe that third slice was a bad idea, dude," I poked at his protruding belly causing him to keel over. "Oh, sorry. I forgot. Muscles, right?"

"Mhm, wanna see?" He asked before pushing his sleeves high enough to expose his little biceps, flexing as hard as he could.

"Impressive!" I said feeling the muscle a bit. I was captivated by her kids and completely missed the way Santana looked at me because if I had, I would've seen something sparkle in her eyes.

"Okay, where to next?" Santana asked.

"Um," the twins said in unison. "Brittany, where should we go?" Gabbie asked as she handed me the map and I couldn't help but laugh while watching Santana roll her eyes and shake her head.

"See, even your kids know you can't read the map. It's a good thing I decided to come with you. You guys would've been so lost," I teased again. "Elephants?"

"Shut up," she playfully said. "So, map genius, which way?"

"It's on the other side of the park. But, I think there's some cool stuff we can see if we go this way," I started as I laid the map on the table in front of the twins. "And we can even stop here and _maybe_ we can convince your mom to let us get some ice cream."

"Yes! Ice cream. We need ice cream, right mommy?"

"I guess you're right. We _definitely _need ice cream."

And the ice cream was not the end of our food adventures. Niko was able to convince Santana for a churro and even a cool hat that had a tiger printed on it, claiming that it was a hat for tough boys. Gabbie found a stuffed monkey that she named Koko and I even bought a little magnet to remember this day.

We officially walked the entire park and eight hours later we finally decided to call it a day. After all, we did need to drive back to LA and the kids had school the next day, not to mention Santana and I had to be back at the office early in the morning. The twins were definitely tired as they dragged their tiny little bodies toward the car but managed to walk all the way without once asking to be carried.

The drive was much quieter compared to our drive this morning. When earlier the twins were singing and dancing in their seats now they were quiet and sitting calmly with heavy eyes. Santana was quiet as well, presumably just as tired from our adventure-filled day and I didn't mind the calmness that filled the car. It felt comfortable, even if this wasn't my first time spending it with the cute family of three, it was definitely my first time of spending it with them for such a long period of time. All other times were spent in the office enjoying a quick dinner before Santana and I went back to work while they busied themselves with the several games and books Santana had for them. The music in the background was low and soothing as we drove home, the traffic luckily clear.

"Thanks for coming today," she spoke up loud enough for me to hear. The twins had both fallen asleep at this point.

"You don't have to thank me, Santana. I had a lot of fun and honestly, I don't think I could've said no to either one of them."

"And don't they know it," she laughed before focusing on the road again. It's as if she was thinking of what to say next. "You're really good with them. I mean, my kids aren't exactly shy but they also don't gravitate to people easily. But with you, it's like they just couldn't stay away. I don't know. It's amazing."

"I'm glad that they feel comfortable around me. They're great kids and I love spending time with them."

She flashed me a soft smile before silence took over once again. I was watching the cars go by out of the window when she broke the silence. "After Jenn left, the kids sort of built this wall around them. I didn't even know kids could do that but they did and it became difficult for them to trust any adult. And then all of a sudden, they meet you and in seconds they were attached to you."

This made my heart swell. I knew that the twins had a difficult time after Jenn left and understandably so but to hear the way they felt so comfortable around me made me feel special somehow.

As we neared LA, Santana spoke up suddenly realizing she didn't know where I lived. "I'm on autopilot to go home," she giggled. "Where am I taking you?"

Before the answer could leave my mouth, my mind suddenly switched and I decided to respond with something else. "Why don't we go to your place first? The kids are knocked out, I'm sure you'll need help getting them inside. I can Uber from there."

"I can't ask you to do that, Brittany," she protested.

"You're not asking. I'm offering. Plus, it is so out of your way to take me home first."

"It's no trouble. Please," she insisted again.

"Santana, trust me. Go home. Let's get them to bed. I'm a big girl," I smiled. "I can take an Uber home." She sighed and reluctantly agreed and continued on her path home.

We pulled up to the familiar house I had seen months ago when I first went to babysit her kids. Santana pulled into the garage before shutting the engine.

"Why don't you get Gabbie, she's not as heavy and she'll cling onto you like a koala," she suggested as she made her way to the other side of the car to grab Niko.

I watched her gently unbuckle the little boy as I did the same with Gabbie. She started to leave soft kisses against his curly brown hair and whispered sweet things to get him to wake up just enough to wrap his arms around her small frame.

"Come on, honey. We're home. Just hold on tight, baby." Santana as a mother was truly my favorite thing in the world to watch. She was so soft and nurturing and loving. It's like she was born to be a mother, an amazing mother. Shaking myself out of my daze, I turned back to the task at hand and slid my arms around Gabbie. She stirred only enough to rest her head against my shoulder and wrap her little arms around my neck. I followed Santana up the stairs and waited outside Niko's room as she quickly changed him into pajamas and tucked him into bed. The door next to his was Gabbie's room and she went straight to the dresser to grab her a change of clothes as well, again quickly changing her and tucking her into bed not forgetting to turn on the princess night light next to her bed.

We made our way back downstairs so that I would be ready to leave once my Uber arrived which would be here any minute. I couldn't wait to get home, shower and crawl into bed myself especially after the weekend I had. It felt as if I had been away from home a week.

"Thank you so much, Brittany," Santana said yet again as we stood in the hallway next to the front door. I had my purse across my body and phone in hand.

"You're welcome. I had a great day with you guys," I told her genuinely. She had a lazy smile on her face and I could see how tired she was from her eyes. "You should head to bed. My Uber is going to be here any second."

"No, it's okay. I'll wait," she said trying to stifle a yawn.

"Santana," I said giving her a pointed look. "Come on, don't be stubborn. Look? He's literally less than a minute away," I said showing her my phone.

"Fine," she said and moved forward. We had grown accustomed to hugging each other goodbye especially when we would part after working several extra hours in the office. But this hug seemed to linger and I felt her body relax the second we embraced. It felt good to hold her this close and suddenly all my senses were filled and surrounded by all things Santana and it was amazing, almost intoxicating. She sighed and started to pull away but made no effort to completely separate our bodies. Something switched in her and I thought I saw something twitch in her eyes as they shifted between mine and my lips. I unconsciously poked my tongue out to moisten my now dried lips because I couldn't wrap my head around what was actually happening.

_Is Santana thinking about kissing me? _

And I got my answer not even a second later as she started to lean closer her eyes never parting from my lips. Without realizing, my body was being pulled closer to hers as well and I closed my eyes in anticipation of feeling her lips against mine for the first time when my phone, which still happened it be in my hand, beeped loud enough to make both of us jump back.

"Uh," I said, trying to get the phone to stop. When I finally did I caught Santana's eyes wide in shock. "My, uh, my ride's here."

"Right, okay. Um, goodnight."

"Yeah, goodnight," I said and awkwardly but quickly walked out the front door, down her driveway and immediately jumped into the Uber not once looking back.

_What the fuck just happened? _I thought to myself. Santana and I almost kissed. I almost kissed my boss. This was _not _good.

**If you haven't already, follow so you never miss an update! And as always, let me know what you think! :P**


	12. Blurred Lines

**CHAPTER 12**

**BLURRED LINES**

_Santana POV_

"Yeah, goodnight."

I barely heard the words that came out of her mouth. Had I really tried to kiss Brittany? Brittany, who was my employee and Brittany who was practically half my age. Okay, maybe not half but still, what was I thinking?

I don't know how much time passed as I stood frozen in the same spot ever since Brittany awkwardly and very abruptly left my house. It could've been seconds, minutes, or hours, I wasn't sure. Once the shock of the situation had died down enough, I forced my body to move. Taking one shaky step at a time, I finally found myself in my room. I slowly moved to the edge of my bed to sit since my head was feeling dizzy and my legs unsteady.

Maybe I could blame this on temporary insanity? Moving almost like a zombie, I somehow was able to get through my nighttime routine and finally crawled into bed pulling the sheets high up and above my shoulders as I lied on my back, wide awake staring at the ceiling. The thing that kept my mind buzzing was the fact that the blonde leaned in, I know I was not imaging that. It's not like the fact that I found her attractive was a new concept to me. I accepted that almost immediately upon meeting her for the first time. I was human after all and Brittany was breathtaking and not just physically because her beauty was painstakingly obvious to anyone with eyes. I remember the first time I met her quiet and unsure, a shaky voice speaking up in a meeting about a manuscript that she found. I had not thought about that day since but suddenly the entire scene came rushing back into my memories after the incident of our almost kiss.

I clearly recall her calling me ma'am. That hadn't happened from an employee in forever and normally that would make my blood boil because sure most of the junior staff were young, much younger than me but I wasn't _old _by any means and being called ma'am just rubbed me the wrong way. But for some reason when it slipped past the blonde's lips I didn't feel that initial anger I was accustomed to. No, instead I calmly requested she only refer to me by my first name. I asked her to bring the story to my office and she came in stuttering at first but quickly found her bearings once she was comfortable and started to tell me about the book. I instantly loved listening to her narrate and remember thinking that I could sit here all day just listening to her sweet voice.

After our initial meeting, it was clear that Brittany was different than the other young staff we had hired. Especially someone Celeste had hired as an assistant. Most had been aspiring authors and would immediately try and bring me a draft of a novel they had worked on throughout college in high hopes to get published. But not Brittany. Brittany kept her head down and would jump at anything Celeste requested. She was hard working and never once tried to use my company to get herself ahead.

She was smart and talented and kind and just everything genuine. It wasn't that outrageous that I felt a pull toward her because anyone that spent even a little time in the blonde's circle would feel the same thing. Except, the thought of acting on any of it was wrong and unacceptable and that's exactly what I had done. She was my employee, she was younger than me and significantly so. This could and never would be anything I secretly deep down hoped for it to be. And tomorrow I would walk into work with my head held high and would have a very adult and mature conversation with Brittany. Yeah, that's what I was going to do. But first I prayed that sleep would come easy knowing very well that it wouldn't.

Tossing and turning for most of the night, I finally gave in to the fact that my eyes resisted any rest. I fluffed my pillows behind my head and grabbed the remote that sat at my bedside table. I mindlessly scrolled through Netflix before settling upon 'Friends' and tried to settle myself so I could get at least a couple hours of sleep. Reluctantly, I glanced at the small clock next to my bed and internally groaned when the time read 2:30 am. My alarm would go off at 5:30 as it did every morning during the week and so would start my normal routine of getting a quick breakfast ready for the twins all while making sure I looked presentable for work before shuffling them off to school. Today was going to be a _long _day.

And when my alarm blared through my room, I immediately felt the effects of getting barely two hours of sleep. I buried my head further into my bed trying to drown out any outside noise or life but my alarm had other plans for me as it went off even louder than the first time. I didn't have much time to waste because more likely than not something would go wrong with one of the twins and we would inevitably be running out of the door with just enough time to get them to school.

My tired body dragged across my bedroom and toward the bathroom to wash up and start on my makeup and hair. Once I took care of the bags under my eyes and looked presentable enough, I made my way down the hall toward Niko's room first since it always took a little longer to wake him up.

And sure enough, when I pushed past his door he was curled up in a ball deep in sleep. He was my wild child and it showed in the different positions I would find him in every morning. Today, he was balled up in a fetal position but his face was where his feet should've gone. The fact that he managed to always stay on his bed was a mystery to me with the amount he moved in his sleep.

"Wake up, Niko," I cooed softly as I rubbed his back out of his dream state.

"Mm, no, mommy. Five more minutes," he mumbled.

"Come on, buddy," I coaxed again. "Don't you have your show and tell today?"

"Oh yeah!" He said suddenly popping up. "I need to get Puffy ready!" He jumped out of bed faster than I'd ever seen and flew toward the small cage in the corner of his room which housed a white bunny.

"How about we have breakfast first then after you've brushed your teeth and tamed your hair we get Puffy set up for his little field trip?"

"Fine," he sighed as he followed me out of his room.

"Gabbs?" I called out when I didn't see her in bed.

"In here mommy!" She called out from the attached bathroom that connected her room with her brothers.

"Hey, pretty girl. Ready for breakfast?"

"Yup."

The three of us made our way downstairs as the kids took a seat at the island talking enthusiastically over each other while I put together a few things for them to eat. Niko loved oatmeal in the morning with a pop tart and Gabbie normally had cereal which I would usually convince to add some fruit to it. After making a quick buttered toast for myself, the three of us then went back upstairs to get dressed for the day. The kids were easy and hardly ever gave me a hard time.

"Gabbie, don't forget to grab your backpack," I reminded my daughter as we shuffled toward the garage. "Niko, jacket." I had the bunny cage in one hand and a thermos filled with fresh coffee in the other all while trying to not drop my briefcase which was tucked under my arm.

"Stop kicking me, Niko." I rolled my eyes as I heard the two arguing in the back seat of the car. After making sure the bunny was secure I quickly scooted to the driver's seat and started to pull out of the garage. Normally, I would curse at the fact that the kids needed to be at school by seven but today out of all days I was beyond thankful. This almost guaranteed that I would get to the office before Brittany and although I knew I would have to confront the blonde about my stupidity from the night before, I at least was going to try and hide away in my office as long as I could today avoiding the inevitable.

"You're on my side of the car," I heard Niko argue back.

"No, I'm not!"

"Hey! Stop. Both of you. Niko, don't kick your sister. Gabbie, keep your legs on your side, please." I knew the lack of sleep was lowering my patience this morning and of course, on the one day where I could use at least another five hours of sleep, my kids decided to spend the morning ride to school bickering. Even with walking them to their class, bunny in hand I was still able to make it to the office before most people were in, specifically before Brittany.

I buried myself in work immediately and I did not need to try too hard to keep myself busy. It actually _was _busy which wasn't a surprise. Between the book launch coming up in a few weeks and the other projects we had, work was non-stop. And thankfully so, because before I realized it was already nearing five o'clock. After calling my mom to check up on the kids, I decided to stay back a couple of more hours to wrap up as much as I could. Mondays were always stressful and I liked to work extra on those days. Thankfully, my mom helped me out a lot with the kids and the nights that I didn't bring them back to the office, they would be with her. It wasn't for another couple of hours that I felt my eyes burning from the computer screen in front of me, a clear sign that I should pack up and go home. Shutting down my computer, I grabbed my briefcase and tiredly shuffled my body toward the door that had stayed shut all day. I knew everyone would be gone for the day, especially with Celeste out of the office today, no one would have stuck around past five and I took comfort in that especially today. With my mind feeling jumbled, my body completely worn out, I was happy to know I wouldn't have to face anyone, for today at least. I kept my mind focused on the fact that I would be home soon with my kids. Turning off the lights of my office, I reached out to grab the handle of the door and as the door swung open, I was met with the one person I worked so hard to keep my thoughts away from all day, standing in front of me.

"Brittany," I barely whispered as our eyes met both seemingly filled with questions and confusion.

/

_Brittany POV_

The Uber ride felt like it took hours but in reality, it was only thirty minutes later that the driver was pulling up to Rachel's building. Barely focused enough to mumble a thank you to him, I somehow made my way into the building and up to her floor finding myself standing in front of the door, keys in hand. Unlocking the door, I made my way inside and dropped my purse on the small end table and kicked off my shoes.

"Britt, I thought you'd be home hours ago," I barely heard Rachel speak up from the couch to my left. I know I stayed frozen in my spot not able to wrap my head around the reality of what happened, or almost happened not even an hour ago as I stood in the brunettes entryway. "Britt?" Rachel must have tried to get my attention again and this time I was brought back to the present.

"Huh?"

I didn't miss the weird look Rachel shot me and I knew I was doing an awful job at hiding anything. "I said, I thought you'd be home hours ago. You okay? You look a little pale."

"Rachel, I fucked up. I need to find a new job. Shit," I said reality crashing down on me more and more as time passed. At this point, I had moved to the couch and was sitting with my head in my palms.

"What do you mean you need to find a new job? Did you get fired?"

"What? No. I did not get fired."

"Then? You're scaring me, Britt. Seriously, you look pale as shit."

"Santana and I," I started to say through a shaky breath. "I don't know. We were at the retreat then I woke up and like she was there with her kids and they asked if I'd go to the zoo with them and of course, I said yes like the idiot that I am and next thing I know I'm having this amazing day with a woman that I could never be with and her kids and then we're driving home and I'm offering to help her take her kids upstairs and then were leaning in to each other and-"

"You were what?" Rachels shriek pulled me out my rant and I took a deep breath that I had forgotten to take.

"We almost kissed," I said much quieter than I was seconds ago and was met with wide eyes and what I thought was the start of a smile. Of course, Rachel would find this piece of information good news when here I was freaking out over my stupidity.

"Wait. Back up," she said turning in her spot even more so we were face to face. "How did you get to spending the day with Santana? I thought you were coming home with Quinn?"

And so we sat there for the next thirty minutes as I told her in detail about my very eventful Sunday. By the end, Rachel was sitting wide-eyed hanging on every word that I spoke.

"You can't just quit, Britt. That's ridiculous. Plus, she leaned in first, right? And she's _your _boss. If you ask me, she's the one that needs to check herself," she said. "You did nothing wrong. And maybe this is good. I told you, you two had a thing."

"We can't have a thing. We can't have _anything. _Aside from being my boss, which is excuse enough for this to never go further, I can't make the same mistake I did with Dominic again. It's not fair to me and it's most definitely not fair to whoever I decide to date."

And even with Rachel trying to convince me that this wasn't the worst thing to happen, I knew that come tomorrow I would need to clear things up with Santana to maintain our professional relationship. Sleep did not come easy and I spent most of the night tossing and turning going in and out of sleep only finally dozing off in the early hours of the day. Not long after I slipped into a dreamstate my alarm was pulling me back to reality and I dragged my body around the apartment. I was moving slower than usual and was running late to work. I knew Celeste would be out of the office and seeing as she was the only one who happened to be overly concerned about my promptness, I didn't try to rush to the office. Strolling in a little after eight, I noticed Santana's light already on and the door closed. Even with the decision to clear things up with her, I knew it wouldn't be done now or anytime soon, seeing as everyone was here and working. The last thing either one of us needed was to cause a scene and because this was a very private matter, I chose to approach the brunette long after five when everyone would be gone.

The morning hours flew by and Quinn suggested we go to the pizza spot in town that we both loved for lunch. We didn't visit the place often because it usually took longer than the hour we could be out of the office but again, the fact that Celeste was not in and Santana seemed to be holed up in her own office, no one would be watching the time to see when we left or when we returned.

"Mm, so good," Quinn moaned as she took her first bite. "I haven't eaten here in forever. So, how'd it go yesterday?"

"With what?" I asked without thinking as I took a bite myself.

"With Dominic," she answered giving me a weird look.

"Oh, right. Uh, it was fine, I guess," I started. "He wanted to talk more."

"So, still broken up?"

"Yeah, still broken up."

The rest of the day went by just as quickly as it did before Quinn and I left for lunch. I planned to stay later to speak with Santana and figured that my thoughts would be filled with how the conversation would go but with the amount of work that I had, I never had a chance to think about it. And here it was, seven in the evening when I finally looked up from my screen and as expected I was the only one left, well except for Santana as I could see the light still shining from inside her office. Quickly, I packed up my things before taking a deep breath and mustering up the courage to make my way to her office door.

As I raised my fist to knock, the door swung open and I stood there frozen. "Brittany," she said so softly I'm not sure I actually heard her.

"Uh, do you have a minute?" I said through a shaky breath. She looked just as uneasy as she merely nodded clearly not capable of words and trying to avoid all eye contact.

"Sorry," we both spat out at the same time.

"You first," she encouraged. We were standing in the middle of her office and the tension was evident. It was odd to be in her office without us both sitting comfortably on the couch discussing work over some take-out. This was completely different than what we both had grown accustomed to and I could feel the shift.

"Last night," I started but paused to choose my next words carefully. "Last night was a mistake." I chanced a glance at Santana to find her shoulders slump at my words and eyes look away from mine.

"You're right." I know I was right and hearing her agree with me shouldn't have been disappointing but it was. It was very disappointing. I don't know what I was expecting, her to argue and disagree with me? No. So why was I suddenly feeling like I did the wrong thing? "But you shouldn't have anything to apologize for, Brittany. It was unprofessional of me to even put you in that sort of situation. And I'm really sorry. I know it's not an excuse but I've just been feeling lonely and ever since Jenn left I haven't really had someone I felt so connected to and then you started working here and we just had so much in common and became close so quickly that my mind confused it for something more. But I just want you to know that it will never happen again and I hope this hasn't made you feel uncomfortable because I really need you here."

"No. Not uncomfortable," I reassured her. "And don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. This is the best job I've ever had in my entire life." I heard her giggle and felt the tension fade just enough.

And things seemed to go back to normal, for the most part. As the launch date for the book approached, I found myself spending even more time with Santana than I did before, if that was possible. Most of our nights were spent at the office and kept rather professional as we were both overwhelmed by the amount of work and planning that needed to happen before the book launch.

As professional as we kept it, I didn't miss the way my skin would heat up and a blush would creep on Santana's face if our hands brushed against each other or how I would find Santana staring a little longer with a softness in her eyes that normally wasn't there. But as much as I noticed those subtle differences I knew to keep it at bay, for my career's sake and for the sake of our friendship.

A week before the launch, Santana and I decided to have lunch in her office instead of taking an hour to leave the office so we could go over the last-minute logistics.

"Okay, so we'll meet here before heading there?" I asked. Santana insisted that we take a car to my first launch as a celebration plus she added the fact that it would look more professional if we showed up as a team.

"Yeah. And then I'll take San Diego and we have our team taking care of the rest in California. Less than a week away, excited?"

"Definitely. And nervous. I hope it does well."

"Our marketing team has shown a lot of buzz around it so I think it'll be good and-" but before she could finish her thought we were interrupted by her phone ringing. "Santana Lopez."

I watched her as she intently listened to the person on the line but as she stayed silent her demeanor changed. It made me sit up in my seat as concern started to take over.

"Right. I understand. Thank you." She hung up and her anger came flying out as she aggressively dialed a number on her phone.

"Get legal on the phone, now," she shouted to her assistant. I stayed silent in my seat as I saw rage ooze out of her. "Kevin, what the hell happened?"

She sat there as Kevin probably spewed some excuse. I still didn't know exactly what was happening but it could not have been good. "This is ridiculous. Because of this, we need to push everything back at least another two weeks. Do you how much that is going to cost us?" She did not wait for a response this time. "Fix it. Now."

"Fuck," she said under breath as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"What happened?"

"We didn't get cleared for the title of one of our projects. I swear I hire these people thinking they can do a simple job and they always find a way to mess up. This is going to cost us big."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, unfortunately, you can't. You focus on the launch and I'll take care of this."

I nodded before leaving her office still worried about Santana but I guess this is what she had to deal with as the head of a huge publishing house. I'm sure it wasn't something new and she would be more than capable of handling it.

By the time Friday rolled around, I was completely exhausted. Lucky for me, my day ended early and I was able to skip the weekend traffic. I couldn't wait to get home, take a nice hot shower, eat dinner and curl up on the couch. Rachel strolled in a little after six and by that time I had already showered and had dinner and had moved on to a bowl of ice cream while watching some cooking show.

"Hey, Rach," I greeted my best friend.

"Hey, you look comfy," she said as she kicked her heels off.

"I am. What have you been up to?"

"Early dinner with Lana's parents," she sighed as she sunk into the couch in the spot next to me. "Any plans tonight?"

"Nope. I don't plan on moving from this spot. Care to join me?"

"Fuck yeah! Let me change and grab us more ice cream."

I heard my phone buzz from the coffee table the second Rachel left the room. Setting my bowl down, I grabbed my phone and was surprised to see a text from Santana, especially on a Friday night. We didn't normally text, in fact I could count on one hand how many times we had communicated this way.

_From Santana: I hate that I'm even asking this… but I need a sitter and my parents are out of town. If you're busy I totally understand so don't feel like you need to cancel anything. _

Technically, I didn't have any plans and under any other circumstance, I would be more than happy to help out and watch my favorite twins. But I couldn't help and think about the last time that I was at Santana's house and how that ended. Sure, the last couple of weeks things had mostly seemed to go back to normal but again, the tension since that night seemed to linger anytime we were together. Most of the time I was able to ignore it especially with the distraction of work but those times where it would slip into my consciousness I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, uneasy about the way she would stare a little too long at me, or how her skin felt against mine even at the slightest touch or how when we would embrace in a hug at the end of a long night I would take in her scent to remember the sweet smell. Yeah, all those times made me feel uneasy and now with the request to go back to the place where we had almost kiss and made me feel even more uneasy but at the same time, this was Santana, my boss, and friend and I knew that regardless of my better judgment that I would be agreeing to watch the twins.

_To Santana: I'm not busy. What time do you need me?_

Her response was almost immediate.

_From Santana: Seven! You are honestly the best _

"What are we watching?" Rachel asked walking back into the room now dressed in sweatpants and an over-sized sweatshirt.

"Uh, actually, I need to head out."

"What? But I thought we were going to be bums tonight."

"I know. Something came up," I answered vaguely. Rachel knew the situation with Santana inside and out and she definitely knew that we were both walking a fine line with each other. I had no doubt that she would either judge me for going there at the drop of a hat or tease me for wanting to be close to my 'lover'.

"Oh yeah? Why do you look guilty or something?" She asked with narrowed eyes.

"I do not look guilty. And it's a babysitting thing, that's all," I shrugged hoping she wouldn't push the matter further.

"Liar. You're totally going to Santana's, aren't you? To babysit? Don't you think that's a bad idea, considering?"

"It's not that big of a deal. She's not even going to be there, hence the babysitting part. And we've already established that what almost happened last time was a mistake so I doubt it'll happen again."

"Okay, you know best. Guess it's just me and Ben and Jerry's tonight," she said tucking her feet under her and grabbing the carton of ice cream.

"Call your girlfriend to keep you company," I teased.

"Ugh, I wish! She had to go home after dinner. Some big case or something to prepare for, as usual. But Sunday she's all mine, actually speaking of which, you might want to just busy yourself elsewhere that day," she gave me a knowing smirk.

I rolled my eyes, "You're annoying. Must you act like a horny teenager at all times?"

"Don't hate me because I have a sexy girlfriend who I happen to have amazing sex with, okay?"

"Whatever, I need to change."

I scurried off to my room since I didn't have much time to waste. I quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater and fixed my hair before grabbing my keys and cellphone and making my way to my car.

As I pulled up to Santana's house, my palms started to sweat as my grip tightened around the steering wheel. The entire drive I was fine but somehow sitting outside of her house brought on anxiety I hadn't felt before. Taking a deep breath, I braced myself before making my way to the front door.

I shouldn't have been surprised when the door opened and I was greeted with a little someone, a little someone that was definitely _not _Santana.

"Brittany! Mommy didn't tell us you were coming!" Niko shrieked as he crashed into my leg for a hug.

"Niko, what did I say about opening the door without me?" I heard Santana's voice come from behind as I stood stuck in the entrance, the same entrance we were caught up in not even a couple of weeks ago.

"But it's Brittany!" He said as if it was totally obvious why it was okay he opened the door without his mother by his side.

"Yes, I see that Niko, but what if it wasn't?" She responded. "Go finish up your dinner with your sister while I talk to Brittany."

"But she gets to stay, right?"

"She gets to stay. I need to go out for a little so she's going to hang out with you guys, sound good?"

"Sounds the best!" He said excitedly as he skipped back to the kitchen to join his sister.

"Thank you so much, Brittany. I know this was last minute. I could've asked the neighbor but the twins always give them a hard time."

"It's no problem. Honestly, I wasn't doing much at home anyways."

She smiled thankfully and ran back up the stairs to finish getting ready for whatever charity event she had for the night. By the time she came back down, the twins had finished their dinner and had already moved on to a small bowl of ice cream. It was Friday after all and I didn't see the harm in indulging a little. We were currently in a very intense discussion, more like an argument, of which game we would be playing first which distracted me initially from Santana's appearance.

"Monopoly," Niko said getting a little louder and staring straight into his sister's eyes.

"No, Operation!" Gabbie was quick to snap back.

"We always play what you want first. It's not fair."

"Nuh-uh, you're a liar."

"Okay! Time out!" I yelled effectively grabbing both of their attention as they snapped their heads in my direction as I stood between them. "We'll play Operation first since that doesn't take as long and then we'll move onto Monopoly. Sound like a plan?"

"Fine," Niko huffed and I chanced a glance at Gabbie who was now wearing a victorious smile. During this entire time, I had completely missed Santana who was standing at the edge of the kitchen watching the entire conversation. It was Gabbie who caught sight of her mother first.

"You look pretty, mommy," she complimented her mother sweetly.

"Thanks, baby," she gave her daughter a warm smile. And she didn't just look pretty, she looked drop-dead gorgeous wearing tight black jeans and a loose fitted top that cuffed around her slim wrists and was cut low enough to show off just enough skin. The entire look was completed with knee-high boots and soft makeup and curls framing her perfectly shaped face. She was stunning to look at and I almost felt a hint of jealousy at all the people that would get to enjoy her company tonight. "I need to head out but you guys know the drill. Brittany is in charge. Don't give her a hard time please and since it's Friday you get an extra hour before bed. Deal?"

"Deal," they both said.

"Niko, that means you, dude. Ten, latest. Got it?"

"Got it."

After she kissed each kid on the head she was out the door in a hurry and before she even had both feet out the door Gabbie was already dragging her brother and me into the living room to start our night of games. We spent the next hour playing multiple rounds of Operation before moving on to Monopoly which Niko insisted on being the banker. As I expected both kids got bored of the game hardly thirty minutes into it and we switched gears, moving upstairs to their playroom where Niko quickly turned on his PlayStation and Gabbie gravitated toward her toy castle.

This was so much better than sitting at home with Rachel and although my week felt like the longest week ever and I probably would've already been tucked away into bed by now if I were home, spending my night with the twins felt so much better. There was pureness around them and it was calming.

By the time it was ten o'clock, they were both washed up and in bed with tired eyes. Even with Niko trying to squeeze more time out of me it got to the point where his long week caught up to him and he was falling asleep without any force. I knew from experience that Santana would be out until at least eleven so I made myself a cup of tea before lounging my body on the couch with the book I brought with me. At some point, I must have rested my eyes dozing off with the book resting against my chest.

"Brittany," A soft whisper was pulling me out of my sleep and I could have sworn it was an angel speaking to me in my dream. And then I heard it again as a hand gently rubbed against my arm. "Brittany."

My eyes opened slowly and as my vision cleared, I was met with the most beautiful thing in the world, Santana looking down at me with the softest of smiles on her face, slightly exposing the dimple on her cheek. "Hey," I muttered through my raspiness. "What time is it?" I wondered not knowing exactly how long I was asleep.

"Midnight," she said. "Sorry. I know it's late."

"It's okay," I said as I sat up and stretched my arms over my head. "How was your night? Was it a charity event?"

"Uh, it was good," she said avoiding my gaze as if trying to hide. "It wasn't a charity event." Her body was slightly turned toward mine as she took the spot next to me on the couch now that I had made some room.

"No? Business meeting?" I asked my curiosity peaking.

"Not really."

"Okay, why are you being all cryptic?" I asked through a laugh trying to lighten the mood. There was an overwhelming amount of tension filling the air around us at the moment.

"I was kind of out on a date," she mumbled quietly, so quietly that I didn't think I heard her correctly.

"Oh," I said suddenly feeling something twist at the pit of my stomach. Was that jealousy? No, it couldn't be. I had no right to be jealous. But if not jealousy, then what? "Um, that's cool. Did it go well?"

And at this, her head snapped up and her eyes found mine as if searching for something. But what? I couldn't be sure but whatever it was I couldn't tear my eyes away from her brown ones. She didn't bother to respond with words deciding to just shrug her shoulders instead. I wanted to ask more questions, like who it was or where they went but I had no right and so I cleared my throat desperate to move. The air around us was getting thick and my heart rate sped up. I was about to speak up and think of something to say to get myself out of her house when she broke the silence.

"I kept picturing you with me instead," she whispered. Was I hearing her correctly? Did she mean that she wished it was me she was out on a date with? My head felt jumbled and I hardly noticed how close our faces had moved, our breath invading each other's space. "Brittany," she said and I could feel her breath against my lips. "Tell me to stop. Tell me this is wrong and I'll back away. But I can't stop thinking about you. I can't stop thinking about that day at the zoo or that night. Please, tell me to stop."

This could not be happening. Not again and yet I felt myself slipping and growing weak against her words. How was I supposed to tell the most beautiful woman sitting in front of me to stop? And I almost gave in, all I had to do was lean an inch and our lips would embrace but something in me snapped and I was backing away, rightfully so.

"I'm so sorry, Santana. I can't. This is wrong for so many reasons. I just," I took a breath. "I'm sorry. Besides being my boss, there is just so much you don't know about me."

"But I want to know everything there is to know about you."

I shook my head and stepped back again to make more space between us. "I can't. There is just so much I can't share. I," I stuttered. "I'm sorry." And before she had a chance to say anything I was gone. This was not happening, not again. I might have run out on her tonight but we would need to clear the air yet again, and quickly because I couldn't let anything get in the way of me and my dream to work as an editor. I could only hope that Santana would understand and as my boss would accept our working relationship. One thing I knew for sure, I would under any circumstance never be able to come clean to Santana. Not if I wanted to keep my job and not if I wanted any chance of preserving my growing friendship with Santana even with the slight change in our feelings toward each other.

Rachel was right, I should have never agreed to babysit tonight.

**DON'T HATE ME! :O THEY WERE SO CLOSE BUT NOT QUITE THERE YET. **

**HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED THE CHAPTER. DON'T FORGET TO DROP A REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU ALL THINK! :P**


	13. The Ugly Truth

**AUTHOR NOTE: IT'S BEEN A HECTIC COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR ME DEALING WITH FAMILY STUFF. THINGS ARE STARTING TO CALM DOWN AND I HAVE MORE TIME TO MYSELF WHICH MEANS BACK TO WRITING. I THINK THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER YET! HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS STUCK AROUND. I LOVE THIS STORY AND I WILL CONTINUE TO WRITE NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES BUT FOR NOW I AM BACK TO MY NORMAL WRITING SCHEDULE. :p**

**CHAPTER 13**

**THE UGLY TRUTH**

I could hardly remember the drive home, my mind everywhere but here. After our day at the zoo, things became confusing between Santana and me, sure we both leaned into each other as if we both wanted that kiss to happen that night but it could've been chalked up to having a long day or taking comfort in each other but tonight was different. Tonight, things were clear. Santana had feelings for me or at least the 'me' she _thought _she knew. And I walked away, _again_. Because the truth was that I shared those same feelings she had and I as well wanted to get to know everything there was to know about her but I couldn't let myself have any of that. I'm positive I knew from the minute I saw her that there was something different about her and that was only solidified the closer we became. But the fact that she was my boss and thought I was significantly younger than her stopped me from fully accepting anything that had to do with a romantic relationship with the brunette. And now, tonight, everything changed as Santana expressed her interest in me. It was out in the open.

I was a walking zombie as I somehow made it up to my room. I didn't even bother trying to sleep as my thoughts were consumed with Santana and her words from earlier, 'but I want to know everything there is to know about you' played over and over in my head. And every time the outcome was different than what actually happened. Every time, I looked her deep in those breathtaking brown eyes and poured my heart out and she just stared and accepted all of me finally leaning in to connect our lips. But no, instead I left, scared of how she would react, scared of losing my job, scared for ruining my life I had built after my divorce.

Thankfully, it was the weekend and I had no reason to be anywhere near Santana for at least the next 48-hours. Because of the lack of sleep from the night before, the majority of my Saturday was spent in bed only leaving to use the restroom and to drink water. I mindlessly slipped in an out of sleep as some show played on my TV. Sunday, I woke up as the sun started to rise as the reality of having to face Santana the next morning sank in. My body was unable to stay in bed for another day and I vaguely remembered Rachel mentioning the fact that Lana would be here all day and I _definitely _wasn't sticking around for any of that. Lana may have had some shame and respect for others but I couldn't say the same about my best friend.

It was still early for a Sunday when I hopped in my car after washing up and slipping on a pair of jeans and an old sweater. Throwing my hair up into a bun, I grabbed my keys and left the apartment all before Rachel was awake. I drove around Los Angeles with no particular destination before stumbling upon a small cafe just outside of Santa Monica. I rarely ventured out to this area especially because I still felt like a newcomer to this part of LA. Luckily, finding parking next to the cafe was easy and I grabbed my phone before walking inside. The place was small and had an old school diner vibe with a bunch of booths lined up against the walls and tables filling the middle. There was a bar for those who were eating alone and the walls were covered with black and white photos of famous people visiting the establishment back in the day. An older woman with a warm smile greeted me and showed me to a small booth in the back before filling the white ceramic mug with freshly brewed black coffee. Something about a simple cup of diner coffee made me extremely happy as I flipped through the laminated menu. After ordering eggs and hashbrown, I sat back my hands wrapped around the small mug and took a deep breath. It was refreshing being alone and not something I did often. If there ever was a time where I had a meal by myself, it usually consisted of take-out with something on the TV curled up on the couch.

I finished breakfast and thanked the waitress for the incredible service and delicious meal before opting to walk around. The sun was starting to warm up as we neared March and I was very thankful for the gorgeous LA weather. This part of town was filled with small businesses and shops as I weaved in an out of them. There was an antique shop which I rather enjoyed right next to a vintage book shop. The second I walked in my nose was filled with the scent of old books and my heart fluttered. The bookshelves were dark wood and filled with all sorts of books from sci-fi to romance to non-fiction. How I had never been here was beyond me but I was glad to be here now. I walked down every aisle and touched the spine of almost every book, lingering longer every once in a while when I found a book that caught my attention. Once I was satisfied that I had seen everything, I made my way to the old school cash register to purchase the two books that stood out to me.

"Find everything?" The young girl asked sweetly.

"Yes. It was hard to just choose two but I have a feeling I'll be back soon," I said. "How long has this place been here?"

"A long time. I think close to sixty years," she said.

"Well, I'm happy I found it." She put the books in a small paper bag when a familiar voice drained the blood from my face.

"Are we done?" A soft voice spoke and I thought I recognized it but the voice that followed confirmed my suspicions.

"Almost, baby. Promise." My heart skipped a beat. That was _definitely _Santana. What were the odds that we were in the same place at the same time on a Sunday morning? Granted, we _were _in a book store so that wasn't very shocking and we _were _very close to Santana's house so that shouldn't have been a surprise either but nonetheless, I stood frozen in my spot.

I couldn't tell where they were as their voices were slightly muffled but what I knew for sure is that they were most certainly in this store. The cashier's voice snapped me out of my minor freakout.

"Are you okay?" She asked sounding concerned and who could blame her? I'm sure my face had drained of all its color and the fact that I stood frozen in the same spot since she handed me my books and receipt must have been odd.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm good. Sorry. Thank you," I mumbled random words as I quickly turned to try and sneak out the front door without being spotted but the universe had other plans for me that morning.

"Brittany?" I heard a shaky voice call behind me as my hand had just reached for the door. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to compose myself before turning around slowly. I should've figured that I wasn't the only one who was shocked to see me this morning.

"Uh, hey, Santana," I said trying to even out my voice and forced a smile on my face. Thankfully for us, Gabbie was with her and quickly broke the awkwardness, even if it was just for a minute.

"Brittany! Do you come here all the time, too?" I gave the little girl a questioning look before she rolled her eyes to explain. "Mommy drags me here every Sunday when Niko has his stupid karate lessons." I couldn't help but giggle at her dramatics but also couldn't help the warmth that spread at the knowledge of Santana being a weekly visitor to such a place.

Santana seemed unfazed by her daughter as her eyes stayed focused on mine. "Gabbs, do you mind hanging out with Chloe for a minute while I talk to Brittany?" The cashier, Chloe I presumed, nodded her head in understanding before offering her hand to Gabbie. This was happening, here and now and I don't think I was ready for it. But no time like the present, right?

We awkwardly walked outside and stood as I fiddled my thumbs not missing the way Santana was picking at the edge of her jacket. "Brittany, I know that I sound like a broken record but I'm really sorry for how I behaved yesterday. It was completely unprofessional of me. I can't stand here and pretend that I don't have feelings for you but I understand why this can't happen, not to mention that I have completely ignored the fact that you have a boyfriend. It's completely unlike me."

"I," I started only now remembering the fact that I never told Santana about my break-up. "I don't, actually." And this caught her attention, a sliver of hope flashing across her eyes.

"Still," she shook her head. "I realize that this can't work and I respect your decision and I respect you, Brittany. I just want to make sure that there won't be any awkwardness with us in the office."

"There won't be-" I started but she continued to speak.

"Good. And with the book signing coming up this week we won't be spending as much time together which is for the best, at least for now." Her demeanor turned cold and I saw a wall start to build around her. I tried to hide my disappointment at the mere thought of not being able to spend those extra hours with Santana.

"Okay," I muttered.

"Okay," she repeated almost to convince herself that everything was in fact, okay. "I should get going," she added as she looked at her watch. "Niko gets out in ten minutes and can't keep that kid waiting."

"Right, yeah. Um, see you, Santana." Normally, we would hug but that didn't seem appropriate now so we exchanged awkward smiles and a wave before going our separate ways.

My encounter with Santana seemed to be the start of one of the worst weeks of my life up to date, including my failed marriage.

Monday was awkward as expected and Santana and I did our best at avoiding each other while still keeping professional conversation when necessary when it came to the logistics for the book launch that was scheduled for Friday. I could handle a little awkwardness even though it made my heart hurt, I was prepared for it. But things turned for the worse later in the afternoon.

After leaving the office for a while with Quinn who finally ended things with her douchebag boyfriend, I stayed glued to my desk keeping my head buried deep in manuscripts. Deep down I believed that if I could find another hidden gem, it would give Santana and me an excuse to spend time around each other. Somewhere in the middle of the second manuscript of the day, my phone rang. Without taking my eyes off the words splayed across the paper I reached across my desk to grab my phone and swiped my thumb against the screen without paying attention to who was calling.

"Hello?"

"_Hey, Britt." _

"Aaron?" I was shocked to hear from my ex-husband. The most we had spoken since the divorce was finalized was some texts here and there about Sam.

"_Do you have a minute?" _

I looked around the office and noticed that everyone was still here and this was _not _the place to have this conversation.

"Yeah. Hold on," I told him as I made my way out of the office and walked toward the elevator. The seating area to the left was empty and it seemed quiet and private enough. "What's up?"

"_How are you?" _

"I'm fine. Busy with work. What's up?" I asked again.

"_That's good. So, I know you've been working hard and all but I was wondering if you could maybe lend me some money?" _

I rolled my eyes because I wasn't exactly surprised at the request. "Seriously, Aaron? What happened to that job you got?"

"_It didn't work out. I'm waiting to hear back from another company and it looks promising but I just need a little to get me through the month."_

"You want me to pay for your rent?"

"_I have enough for rent but I promised Sam I would send her money this month abroad and you know I can't go back on my word when it comes to her." _

"Fuck, Aaron. Maybe next time you shouldn't promise something to our daughter if you don't think you can come through. If I help you out this time then we both know it'll happen again and again and honestly, after everything that happened between us the last few years, why should I give you anything else?"

"_I promise to pay you back."_

"Bullshit. Grow up and call our daughter. I'm sure she won't be surprised," I practically screamed, my voice laced with venom. I was now so angry and irritated with him that I didn't wait for a response and hung up. I plopped on the sofa that was set up in the corner for employees to rest and buried my head in my hands out of frustration.

"Brittany?" My eyes nearly popped out of my head and my body broke out into a cold sweat as I slowly raised my head to come face to face with Quinn.

"Quinn, I can explain," I quickly said even though I wasn't sure how much of my conversation she actually heard.

"Explain? I might be having a stroke but did I hear you say 'our daughter'? And who the fuck is Aaron?" She asked and the anger behind her eyes was clear as day.

"Quinn," I said trying to keep her calm enough so she wouldn't raise her voice again. The last thing I needed was for _everyone _on our floor to hear, not that I was currently in a better situation. "Let's go outside or something and I'll tell you everything."

"No, I think I've heard enough. You're a liar and here I was thinking we were closer than that. I guess I was wrong." She stormed away back toward our office and came back not even a minute later as she moved to the elevator avoiding all eye contact with me. I could tell from her body language that she was still very upset and I didn't blame her one bit. I tried holding back the tears that threatened to escape me and I did only long enough to barricade myself in the nearest bathroom. Once my crying had died down I splashed my face with cold water and decided that it was time to go home. Sure, it was an hour before I would normally leave but after the day I had, I couldn't get myself to care. I kept my head down as I packed up my things slightly relieved that Santana had gone home for the day already.

"Leaving early today are we?" Celeste hissed from behind me.

"Yeah. Uh, have an appointment to get to."

"Right." She gave me a questioning look as if she knew something I didn't and if my head hadn't been clouded with Santana and now Quinn, I might have caught on. "Well, I wouldn't want to hold you up." I gave her my best fake smile as I pushed past her.

I called Quinn over and over again the second I got home and was met with her voicemail each time.

"Quinn, please call me. I hate how everything happened and I just really need to explain. You are one of my best friends." That was the first voicemail I left and by the fifth one, the tears from earlier were flowing again.

I was curled up in the living room with only the side lamp on when the front door swung open. I didn't bother to move and was not in the mood for any conversation.

"Why are you sitting in the dark, weirdo? It's creepy and depressing," Rachel said but when she came face to face with me her teasing tone quickly switched to worry. "Britt, what's wrong?" She swiftly moved to the spot next to me as she wrapped her arm around my shoulder. I didn't have the heart to say anything instead I leaned into her touch and buried my face in her neck as a sob bubbled up my throat. "Oh, sweetie, sh. Whatever it is, it'll be alright."

I don't know how long we sat there my bodied completely molded with Rachel's small frame. When I felt I could trust my voice without having a total meltdown, I broke the silence.

"Quinn knows," I mumbled and Rachel's hand stopped rubbing up and down my arm.

"What exactly does she know?"

"That I might have a daughter, for one thing."

"Okay. That's not so bad, is it? I mean you could have a daughter at your age," Rachel tried to rationalize.

"She heard me talking to Aaron. And asked me who he is but sort of ran off before I could explain. I've left her like a million voicemails and I don't know what to do. You should have seen her, Rach. She looked so angry and betrayed."

"Give her time. She'll come around."

"And what if she doesn't? What if she goes to Santana? I swear it feels like everything around me is crumbling. First Santana and now this."

"But Santana and you talked, right?"

"Yeah, uh, something sort of happened," I said slowly. I never had the chance to tell Rachel about my weekend since she was busy with her girlfriend. "Um, after she got back Friday night she sort of mentioned that she was on a date. And next thing I know we're leaning into each other again and she tells me that she wished she was out with me instead."

"Holy shit! Tell me you guys shared this passionate kiss and spent the whole night having sex!"

"Seriously, Rachel? Life isn't some fiction romance novel. I stopped her before we kissed."

"Why would you do that? She obviously likes you. And it's obvious you like her."

"So what? I told her that there was so much about me she couldn't know. And that's that. I ran into her Sunday morning and we cleared things up. And as if things couldn't get worse then this whole thing with Quinn blows up right in my face. And why? Because my idiot of an ex-husband needs cash." I was yelling now and trying to let out the frustration that had built up over the last few days.

"Screw Aaron," Rachel said. "And I promise you Quinn will come around. As for Santana, I don't know if you'll like what I have to say about that," she trailed off.

"Rach, please. Let it go. This thing with me and Santana, it'll never happen, okay?" She seemed to want to say more about the subject but resisted and I was thankful for it.

Tuesday sucked and nothing changed as Wednesday rolled around. It utterly and completely sucked. Wednesday morning started like any other as I made myself a cup of coffee in the kitchen before settling down at my desk. Not to my surprise, Quinn ignored my entire existence, moving around me as if I was invisible. I thought I could handle it but the situation did not get better when we shuffled into the conference room for our staff meeting which I had forgotten about until ten minutes before. Normally, Quinn and I would take two seats next to each other but I decided to sit across from her to give her space. She avoided all eye contact with me as she pretended to look at something on her phone until Celeste and Santana walked in.

The meeting went as usual and in the end, she opened it up to the staff for any new prospective clients. Quinn was the first to speak up. "This author that I met at the retreat sent me a manuscript that I liked. It's a simple fiction but has depth. It starts all happy until we find out the protagonist is living a huge lie and hurting all those who care about them." I sat up a little straighter when I heard those words leave her lips. As if this wasn't a blatant jab at me the next words that came out of her mouth were. "Actually, Brittany might be better suited to edit this one," she added as she turned her attention to me and it was hard to miss the way her eyes narrowed as if daggers were being shot out of them.

"Thanks, Quinn," Santana interrupted our death stare. "Sounds interesting but also not original. But if you think something stood out then swing by my office later. And just a reminder that I decide who works on it, okay?" Quinn and I were too engrossed in staring each other down that we missed the way Celeste watched our interaction and missed the way she sat a little straighter as she caught onto what Quinn was saying when she suggested I edit a book with that sort of plot.

As awkward as things had gotten at work, I continued to persistently call and text Quinn begging for her to give me a chance to explain. But up until now, every call and every text had gone unanswered and each day I became more defeated. I picked up a bottle of wine on my way home that day planning on locking myself in my room and basking in my self-pity as I polished off the bottle alone. I quickly changed out of my work clothes before pouring myself a very generous serving of wine. I'm not sure why I even considered pouring it into a glass but I guess it was to avoid seeming completely pathetic. The bottle in one hand and glass in the other, the short trek to my room as interrupted by a knock at the door. I huffed before contemplating if I should ignore it or not. More than likely it was the kid from two floors down that would come around this time at least once a week trying to sell a box of chocolate or something as a way to raise money for school. When we didn't open the door for him, he would get the hint and leave without trying to knock again but when the second knock came with a lot more force than the first, I decided to get it as I set down the bottle and glass against the counter.

I glanced through the peephole and was extremely surprised to find Quinn standing outside waiting patiently. Without hesitation, I opened the door.

"Quinn. What are you doing here?" I asked trying to hide my shock as she was the _last _person I expected to see.

"Can I come in?" She asked her eyes meeting mine in a much softer gaze than they had earlier today at the office.

"Yeah. Of course." She hesitantly followed me inside and awkwardly stood as I guided us toward the living room. "Um," I started trying to think of a way to break the tension that had so easily and quickly filled the room, "wine?"

"Sure," she said as she took a seat at one end of the large couch. I poured her a glass and met her in the living room sitting on the opposite side. "Listen, first of all, I want to say I'm sorry for how I acted earlier today in the meeting. It wasn't professional and no matter how upset I was, am, it didn't give me the right to treat you like that."

I didn't miss the way she corrected herself when she mentioned being upset at me.

"It's okay. I deserve it."

"Yeah. Maybe, but that's our issue and I should've kept it away from the office. I've just never been close to anyone like this before. Like, I have my friends but they don't get me like you do and you've been there for me more in the last few months than they have in the last few years. I know I don't know the full story but from what I did hear it upset me that you lied to me. Especially after everything I've opened up about to you, which I normally _never _do," she took a deep breath. "But with that being said, I'm gonna take the high road and give you a chance to explain. I'm here to listen."

I was beside myself hearing her say that as I gave her a tentative nod.

"Okay," I sat up a little straighter and turned my body to face the blonde to give her my full attention before thrusting myself fully into everything I had been hiding for months.

I started from the beginning, telling her about Aaron and Sam and how I ended up at L&L Publishing. Quinn hung on to every word and after I was done we sat there in silence as I watched her face to gauge her reaction.

"Wow." It was all that came out of her mouth. One word. I hesitated to say anything and wanted to make sure I gave her enough time to process everything that was thrown at her.

"Yeah. I never meant for it to get so out of hand. You have to believe me and it just seemed so simple at first. Tell a little lie about my age and get a job. I was desperate."

"I understand," she said. "I just wish you trusted me enough to confide in me. I get why you didn't at first, I would've done the same but I thought we were closer than that."

"We are. Quinn, besides Rachel you are the only other true friend I have."

It took some time but soon enough, Quinn had forgiven me. Maybe not completely but enough to where the tension had been cut.

"So, wait. Dominic!" She said suddenly realizing what that relationship meant. "Damn, girl. You were able to bag a younger guy. And a hot one, too!"

"Yeah," I giggled. "But clearly that didn't work out too well."

"What was the real reason you guys broke up? Did he find out too?"

"He knew for most of our relationship but as time went on the age difference was just really obvious. He wanted things I couldn't give him and it was just better to end it when we did," I shrugged.

"That's mature, I guess. So, you're just enjoying the single life for like the first time in what, almost twenty years?"

"Sort of," I mumbled as I tried to contemplate whether or not I should share my current debacle with Santana. On one hand, we had finally gotten past this hump which I thought would never be possible and I don't think we could recover if I were to lie to her _again. _But on the other hand, Santana was my boss, _our _boss and that could put Quinn in a sticky situation. This was just all too much for me and before I hurt my head with the back and forth argument I was having with myself, I decided to come clean about it all. "There's more. Uh, so Santana and I sort of have been getting close."

"What do you mean by _close," _she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, you know how we've been working late nights together?" I asked which Quinn answered with a nod as she took a sip of her wine. "I guess we became close, more like friends but um, that Sunday in San Diego when I stayed back, I kind of stayed to hang out with her and her kids. And at the end of the night when we got back home we sort of almost kissed."

"You, what?" She exclaimed as she practically jumped out of her seat almost spilling the red wine everywhere on Rachel's white couch.

"We didn't!" I immediately tried to defend. And we talked about it and we both agreed that it was a total mistake but then last week I was over there babysitting the twins and when she came home she sort of tried to kiss me again and maybe told me that she liked me."

"Holy shit, Britt! You know how many things are wrong with this situation?"

"Yes, Quinn. I know," I said not able to resist the eye roll. "Why do you think I told her this was a mistake. That we couldn't do whatever she was thinking and let's not forget the fact that she thinks she likes the fake me, not the divorced me."

"True. You know, actually, if she were to find out the truth I think she would want to be with you even more."

"Okay. Now you're crazy. If she found out, I'm pretty sure the first thing she would do is fire me and then never speak to me again."

It felt good, really good to be myself around Quinn. She stayed for another couple of hours after Rachel joined us with a second bottle of wine. The next day I woke up feeling lighter and happier which was such a relief when compared to how my week started. Things were looking up and it was finally Thursday, one day before my first book signing and I was beyond excited as I bounced through the office. The office was quiet and I was thankful for that as I had a few last-minute things to go through per Santana's request as she was not in for the day.

But I should have known that things were going a little _too _smoothly. It was nearing five in the evening and most of the office had gone home for the day leaving only a couple of people in Human Resources and myself and my favorite person, Celeste. I had grown accustomed to ignoring her and most days it worked perfectly but today was not one of those days.

"Oh, Brittany. May I have a word before you leave?" It wasn't an odd request but since I moved on from being her personal assistant this sort of request was a lot rarer. Without putting much thought into it, I packed up my bag and shut my computer off before swinging by her office.

"What's up, Celeste?"

"Ah, take a seat," she said and her face was all too smug for my liking. "You've made quite a name for your young self here, haven't you?"

"Uh, I guess," I said confused at where she was going with this.

"Funny how in just a few short months the freshly graduated college student jumps to Junior Editor. Don't you think?"

"Not really. Santana liked what she saw and promoted me. You should ask her why she did it, not me."

"Right, Santana. Naive little thing, beautiful but naive. You know, since the day you started working here I thought you were odd and I just couldn't quite put a finger on it but I knew something just wasn't right and then I got to asking around and guess what I find?"

My heart was racing at this point but I did everything in my power to keep my cool. The last thing I wanted was to give her the satisfaction of figuring me out because, for all I knew, she was bluffing or found something else out about me that had nothing to do with my truth. She ignored my silence and continued.

"Brittany Pierce, UCLA, Class of 2002. Interesting, don't you think?" At this point, I felt rage and wanted to reach over and strangle the evil woman standing in front of me but I resisted and instead stood unphased. "That's fine, I don't need you to say anything because you can try and deny this but I know the truth. And you are going to do exactly as I say or I go straight to Satana about this."

"You can't do that!" I seethed.

"Oh, I can and I will."

"What do you want?"

"I want you to quit. Tomorrow. I know you have your big day and I guess I'll let you have your glory because it'll be your last."

"You know this is blackmail and illegal, right?"

"And who do you think they're going to believe? Me, who's been here for years working loyally next to Santana's side or you, the one who got a job by lying about her age?" I stayed silent. "That's what I thought. After the book launch, you resign."

"I do not have to listen to you. This isn't even your company, Celeste and you have no idea what kind of relationship Santana and I have and I have no doubt that she'll believe me when I tell her about you trying to blackmail me into quitting."

"Goodluck with that, Brittany."

And that's the last she said before I stormed off. And there it was, the cherry on top of the worst week of my life. Just when I thought things were turning around my world came crushing back down on me with full force. My legs were shaky as I tried to focus on weaving in and out of LA traffic desperate to get home, desperate for my best friend.

_To Quinn: 911. Come over_

I sent a quick text when I pulled up to my building before rushing upstairs.

"Rachel!" I yelled desperately throughout the apartment but was met with silence. "Rachel!" I tried again when she finally came out of her room.

"Stop yelling!" She screamed back as she came out wrapped in only a towel. "I was enjoying a soothing bath and you screaming ruined it. This better be important."

"Trust me. It is. First, I need a drink. And you put clothes on. Quinn is on her way."

"Pour me a glass too," she said.

"I need something stronger than wine tonight. Whiskey?"

"Sure, what the hell. I have nothing to do in the morning," she said before sauntering back to her room to change.

/

"Are you fucking kidding me?" They both yelled at the same time freakishly in synch.

"That fucking bitch," Quinn added. "She can't do that. Right?" She said turning her head between me and Rachel. "She just can't."

"I know she can't but at the same time, if I go to Santana about this she's going to ask what Celeste is even trying to blackmail me with and in the end, I lose. Either way, I lose. Fuck," I cussed feeling so frustrated that there was no solution for me.

"So, what are you gonna do?" Quinn asked and I had no idea how to answer her because the truth was, I had no clue what I was going to do.

As it seemed to become a common occurrence for me, sleep yet again did not come easy. My mind was filled with so many things, like how the book launch would go or what I was going to do about Celeste or what I was going to to tell Santana? These were just a few of the many things that kept my mind racing all night and far away from any rest.

I gave up trying when I heard the birds starting to chirp outside my window and the sun start to peek through my blinds. The first thing I did as I dragged myself out of bed hours before my alarm was set to go off was make a fresh cup of coffee. I downed at least half of it as soon as it was cool enough to not burn my tongue which gave me enough of a caffeine boost to get myself in the shower without falling asleep midway through. The book signing wasn't until two this afternoon and Santana insisted that I stay home until we were set to leave together an hour before that. I let the hot water surround me as I leaned my forehead against the cool tile, standing for minutes just trying to calm myself down before I eventually started to wash my body..

I heard my stomach grumble after I got out of the shower and realized at that point that we all skipped a proper meal last night. Food was honestly the last thing on my mind at the time.

_From Quinn: Bitch is here and walking around like she owns the place. Annoying_

If this were any other situation I would've laughed at the comment about Celeste but I knew the reason she was acting the way she was. In her book, she had already won.

_To Quinn: She's going to get what's coming to her_

I was able to rest my eyes for a couple of hours before it was time to head to the office. I prayed that Celeste would be out of the office when I got there but should have known better with my string of luck recently. I kept my head down when I first walked through the doors and went straight to Quinn's office.

"Hey, Britt. You ready? Even with all this shit, this is a big day for you. Enjoy it."

"Thanks, Quinn. I'm gonna find Santana so we can get out of here."

Celeste did not say a word to me but I did not miss the way she looked at me with an evil smirk. I tried to contain myself from rolling my eyes and made sure I kept my composure. I focused solely on Santana's office door that was slightly cracked. Santana greeted me with enthusiasm and it was hard to tell who was more excited about the launch but it was refreshing to be around someone so bright even with the awkward tension between us. Ever since our conversation over the weekend, she was careful how she interacted with me and kept things extremely professional. I was disappointed but knew that it was my doing.

The launch was overwhelming but successful and I made sure to stay focused in order to soak it all in. Try as I must, I pushed away any thought about what was to come once we were back at the office. For now, I would enjoy this moment and see all our hard work pay off. Santana could not stop praising me as we were on our way back. She did not stop even when we made it up the elevator, to our floor, and into her office.

"Seriously, Brittany. This was one of the most successful launches I've seen from a starting artist and a junior editor. It's incredible. How do you feel?"

_How do I feel? _I thought about her question to myself. _I feel like this is the best and worst day of my life, _I contemplated saying.

"Good," I chose to stick with instead.

"Oh, come on. You can be a little more enthusiastic than that!"

"Uh, Santana. There's something I need to tell you," I started and noticed her face drop immediately as it filled with worry. I had gone through my options the night before and even after Quinn left and Rachel went to bed, I played this conversation in my head over and over until the sun came up. "I just want to start by telling you that this has honestly been the most amazing opportunity that I've ever been given. You took a chance on me and I'm forever grateful for that." I stopped to take a deep breath before continuing. I needed all the courage I could muster up. "Celeste stumbled upon some information about me that she threatened to use against me unless I quit and I just wanted to come clean before she had the chance because you deserve to hear this from me." I noticed Santana shift in her seat as she sat up straighter and before she could speak, I stopped her. "No, please. Let me get everything out. Before I say anything, I'm really sorry but today will be my last day here. I can just imagine how what I say will change your opinion about me and I doubt you'll want me around. Right before I was hired, I finalized my divorce from my ex-husband." Her eyes widened the second the words came out of my mouth. "I had worked in this business years ago but stopped working when I realized the hours were keeping me away from my family, from my daughter and so I quit."

"Daughter?" Santana managed to say through her shock.

"Please, let me finish. I quit and when she moved away for college and the divorce went through it hit me that the experience and knowledge I had at my age was outdated and finding a job in this industry became near impossible and so a close friend of mine suggested I tell a little white lie about my age. And it worked. Celeste practically hired me on the spot. But things got complicated and then we got close and just everything started to fall apart. And now Celeste found out, I don't know how but she did but that's not important now. I just wanted to tell you the truth because you deserve to know after everything we've been through together. I'm really sorry, Santana."

I stared into her eyes that had now permanently been wide open in shock. I couldn't even tell if she was breathing and waited patiently for her to say something, anything. But it never came. "I'll clear my things out," I said and slowly stood up but no movement came. I figured she was just so angry with me for lying that she didn't know where to start and the office was not the appropriate place for her to start yelling at an employee. I packed my desk and left the office. Luckily most of the staff were gone but Celeste was still around. I didn't expect anything less.

"Good luck finding a job now," she said maliciously as I walked past her without acknowledgment. One thing I wouldn't miss about this place was her, that's for sure.

_From Quinn: So that's it? _

_To Quinn: That's it. Can you come over? I need a friend … and a lot of wine :(_

_From Quinn: Yeah. Be there in an hour_

I called Rachel, who was out of town with Lana for the weekend, while I waited for Quinn to show up. I was already one step ahead and about two glasses into a bottle of wine. Knowing we couldn't make the same mistake as the night before, I took the initiative to put in a delivery order from the Chinese restaurant a couple of blocks away from here. When the doorbell rang, I knew it was the food and immediately set my glass down on the coffee table before grabbing my wallet from my purse. I opened the door but looked down at my wallet to rummage through the cash.

"How much was it again?" I asked the person standing in front of me blindly. But when I didn't get a response right away, I finally tore my eyes away from my wallet and looked up.

"Santana?" I questioned breathlessly. Were my eyes deceiving me? Was Santana really here at my house?

"Hi," she was able to say and her voice sounded so small and shaky.

"Wha- uh, what are you doing here?" I asked just as softly. My tone was not rude just surprised.

"I don't know," she said at first. I noticed how nervous she looked and unsure of herself now that she was standing at my front door. "I just needed to see you." Her brown orbs were glued to mine as we both stood frozen in our spots. "I-," she stuttered. "I just," she mumbled again. "Fuck it."

And I hardly processed the last words she spoke before she lunged at me and engulfed my lips with hers. It was so sudden that our lips stayed glued against each other in a heated embrace but it ended sooner than I hoped as a small sigh left my throat when she pulled away. Her eyes widened again.

"Uh," I started.

"I'm sorry," she immediately blurted and my shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Wait! No, I'm not sorry for _that_. I'm sorry for not saying anything earlier and letting you walk out like that. Can I, uh, can I come in?"

"Yeah," my voice cracked before I cleared it. "Yes." I stepped aside effectively pushing the door open further with my back and waited for her to step inside. She tentatively followed me to the living room before taking a seat on the couch.

"There's so much I wanted-," but before she could finish her thought we were interrupted by the doorbell. This _had _to be the food this time, or maybe it was Quinn. I completely lost track of time ever since Santana showed up.

"Sorry. One second," I said before jogging to the door. It was the food and I thanked the young delivery boor before giving him money and grabbing the bags. _Shit, Quinn was still coming over, _I thought to myself. Thankfully, my phone was in my pocket and I quickly sent out a text to Quinn from the kitchen.

_To Quinn: Don't be mad at me but Santana sort of showed up at my place. She's here now. _

_From Quinn: Shit, really? Okay, uh I'll give you guys some space. Call me if you need ANYTHING _

"Are you hungry?" I asked lamely as I joined her again on the couch.

"Um, I'm okay right now. Maybe in a bit." I nodded before offering her a glass of wine when I noticed her eyeing my glass.

"I fired Celeste."

"You what?" I all but screamed.

"I fired Celeste. You do realize what she did was blackmail, right?"

"Well, yeah. I do. But-"

"No, no buts. That is illegal and I will not tolerate that crap. Your job is waiting for you, by the way."

"It is?"

"Yes. But first, I need to get a few things off my chest," she said before taking a deep breath and twisting her body a little more to face me. The more time she spent here the more comfortable she got. "Your job is waiting for you but I can't pretend that my feelings for you have disappeared. Actually, and I know this might sound crazy, after everything you told me earlier just made it all that much more clear. All this time I would scold myself for having feelings for you and couldn't understand the connection we had but now it all makes sense and I'm not going to sit back and pretend it doesn't exist."

"Wait, you're not mad that I lied to get a job at your company and continued to lie to you no matter how close we got? Even after we almost kissed? Even after everything?"

"Brittany, I'm not going to sit here and lie to you. At first, I was shocked. I almost didn't believe what you were saying but the second you walked out of my office I started thinking. And I understand why you did it, I mean I think I would've done the same. It's crazy what we would do for our kids or for our family. You needed a job so you did what was necessary."

How was she being so understanding? I just couldn't wrap my head around it.

"But I lied to you."

"Yeah, I know. And I'm not too fond of that fact but I understand _why _you felt like you needed to. But what I really need to know, now that everything is out in the open, is if you feel the same way about me?" I froze. "No pressure. I'd understand if you didn't. I guess I would need to apologize for practically attacking you earlier. That was a little out of character for me and honestly, I'm sort of surprised I even did that. Normally, I am not that forward and-" I couldn't take her ranting anymore because it was just so damn cute and I decided to take matters into my own hands so I surged forward to connect our lips for the second time that night. It was OBeffective as her body melted into mine and feeling bold I tilted my head slightly to the right to deepen our kiss. My hand gently rested on her bent knee and I could've sworn I heard her gasp in my mouth. When I pulled away I was met with hooded half-open eyes and a lazy smile which I'm sure matched mine.

"Wow," she whispered, our mouths still so close to each other I could feel her breath on mine.

"Yeah, wow. Sorry, you were kind of rambling. Super cute, by the way."

"Shut up," she said playfully while pushing me against my shoulder. "So, can I take that as a yes?"

"Depends. Which part?"

"Well, I guess the whole 'I like you, you like me' thing was kind of clear when you kissed me," she said through a blush.

"Was it? Maybe I just like kissing people," I teased earning an eye roll.

"Whatever. But the job" She asked sounding hopeful.

"I don't know. I loved my job and working with you but with all this," I said pointing between us, "won't it be complicated? Or like a conflict of interest?"

"I'm the boss. So, what I say goes."

"Can I think about it?"

"Yeah, no. Of course. I didn't mean to put pressure on you. But while you think about that, I do have one more question." I waited patiently and noticed her playing nervously with the sleeve of her shirt. "Will you," she started but took a moment to gather herself. "Shit, why is this making me so nervous? I'm freakin' forty years old you'd think I could ask someone out on a date?"

I tried to resist the urge to giggle since she didn't realize she practically just _did _ask me out in a weird roundabout way. But I sat internally amused at her behavior as this was the complete opposite of the Santana I was accustomed to at work. "Will I what?"

"Go on a date with me," she said through a sigh, obviously pleased with herself for finally getting that out in the open.

"I'd love to."

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely," I said through a genuine smile.

After our initial talk and confessions, the night was filled with everything and anything, from stories of our past to stories of our current lives as we were finally able to be fully truthful with each other. She left soon after since her mom had come over last minute to watch the twins. I promised her we would talk over the weekend and that I would think about coming back to work. I knew I needed more time to think about that particular condition especially with Santana and I exploring this new relationship between us. The best part was that tonight showed there was a light at the end of my very dark tunnel, and although it was a faint light, considering the week from hell I had endured, things were _finally _turning around.

**FINALLY! WE GOT THE KISS I'M SURE EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT THE END OF THIS STORY SO STAY TUNED AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THOUGHT OF THE CHAPTER!**


	14. Walk in the Park

**CHAPTER 14**

**WALK IN THE PARK**

_Santana POV_

I tip-toed as quietly as I could through the hallway and past the kitchen in hopes of not waking up the kids. I knew my mom would have kept them downstairs in the family room and would most likely be cuddled up watching something on TV, especially because it was barely 10:30. As I expected when I turned the corner, my mom sat in the middle of the large sectional with Niko's head in her lap on her right and Gabbie's head tucked under her arm on her left. The sight alone warmed by heart and kept me in my spot for just a second longer since my mom hadn't noticed my presence yet.

"Hey, mom," I said in a whisper to not startle her. "Did they just fall asleep?"

"Yeah, not too long ago. Should we take them up?" She asked and I responded with a nod through a smile. My kids adored my parents and their relationship was the sweetest thing I had ever seen. They were fortunate to have my parents especially because Jenn's parents had passed away before the twins were born.

Thankfully, my mom had already helped them wash up and change into pajamas so all we had to do was tuck them into bed. After giving them each a light kiss and pulling the covers around their shoulders, we went back downstairs. "Want some tea?" I offered my mom since my dad was out of town with his college buddies for a golf weekend. She nodded knowing she did not need to get home anytime soon.

"So, how's everything with work?"

"It's good. Busy," I answered vaguely. My mom was never that involved with the business but liked to hear how things were going. "Actually, I fired someone today."

"You did? Who?" She asked. She knew those who had been working there for years and Celeste was one of those employees. I remember hiring Celeste only two years into taking over for my dad. Initially, I was looking for an assistant but quickly promoted her to an office manager of sorts along with being a Senior Editor.

"Celeste."

"But she's been with you since the beginning. What happened?"

"She sort of blackmailed another employee."

"You're not serious. And you just fired her?"

"Well, not _just_. I'm getting legal involved, too."

"Good. I'm sorry you had to deal with that. But other than that mess, everything else is good?"

"Yeah, mom. It's good. Just need to hire someone to replace her which is going to be hard. I don't want to get stuck spending even more time at the office than I already do. I know I have you and dad for the kids but I hate being away from them for too long. Especially this past year," I trailed off not wanting to get into this again.

The day Jenn left and my world turned upside down, I immediately called my parents in shock and tears.

_Flashback_

"_I'm so hungry," Niko groaned from the back seat of the car. We had just finished up at the mall and I was pleasantly surprised that they were able to handle the overly crowded shopping center for so many hours. I had no choice but to take them with me as this was one of the rare days I was free to go shopping before Christmas which was only two short weeks away and Jenn was working late and my parents had dinner reservations with friends from out of town. _

"_I know, baby. We're almost home. How does pizza sound?" _

"_Extra pepperoni?"_

"_Extra pepperoni."_

"_And one with pineapples, don't forget cuz that's momma's favorite," Gabbie chimed in putting a warm smile on my face. _

_Our lives had become so hectic that I couldn't even remember a time where we weren't running around between work, school pick-ups and after school activities. But the last few months were rockier than ever. Jenn had been working later than usual and this Christmas season seemed to be the busiest yet as we worked day in and day out to get our most popular series published and on shelves before the holiday since that was one of the best times for book sales. The limited time we did spend with each other was either spent sleeping or tiredly trying to catch each other up about our days. What I didn't notice was the distant look and emptiness in my wife's eyes. _

"_Good call, baby girl. One pineapple pizza for momma." After picking up the food from the restaurant by the house we finally made it home. The three of us shuffled through the garage and into the house before hanging our coats in the entryway and taking our shoes off._

"_Wash your hands, both of you!" I yelled as they ran off inside the house. I set the boxes of pizza down in the kitchen so happy to finally be home after such a long day. The kids came skipping back into the kitchen and sat down to eat without me having to ask them once. I knew they were beyond hungry at this point. I put a slice on each of their plates and set then on the table. "You guys okay? I'm going to change real quick." They both nodded not taking their focus off the pizza for a second. I couldn't contain my laugh as I watched my kids devour the food like savages as if they hadn't been fed in years. _

_I took the stairs two at a time, desperate to get out of the pantsuit I was in all day. I glanced into their rooms as I walked down the long hallway toward the master and made a mental note to grab their laundry on my way down since it was looking full. I pushed through the double doors and straight to the bathroom to wash my face before making my way to our walk-in closet, my pants already halfway down my legs but instead of walking into a closet full of clothes on both sides, I was met with a closet with half the clothes completely gone, more specifically, my wife's side. _

_My heart immediately sunk down to my stomach and my vision became blurry as my breathing picked up. Holy shit, this couldn't be happening. It was painfully obvious that she was gone, there was no other excuse in the whole world that could explain the sight in front of me. I dropped to my knees not able to hold myself up as tears started to spill out of my eyes without my control. My breathing was erratic and I tried everything in my power to gather myself but the second my thoughts went to the kids who were innocently eating downstairs, I snapped into mom mode and immediately searched for my phone which I had thankfully taken upstairs with me. _

"_Hi, honey. How was shopping?" I was greeted by my mom's soft voice and I instantly craved a hug from her like I would when I was a little girl and needed to hide away from the big scary world._

"_Mom," my voice quivered as I tried to speak through the tears. _

"_Santana," her voice sounded more concerned, "what's wrong?"_

"_Mom, I-" but I was cut off by a sob that crawled up my throat my body shaking against the bare closet wall. _

"_Santana, you're scaring me. Is everything okay? Are the kids okay?" _

"_Yes, the kids are fine," I was able to say but my voice was still shaky. "Mom, Jenn. She," I started to choke on my words and my tears all at the same time. I wiped away the set of fresh tears that had fallen against my cheek. "She's gone. She left."_

"_What do you mean she left?" _

"_All her stuff. It's just gone."_

"_Okay. I'm coming over," she said and I vaguely heard her saying something to my dad before her voice came back to the line. "Wash your face, honey, and go by the kids. We don't want to worry them, okay? We'll figure all this out. I love you."_

"_I love you."_

_The kids. Fuck. Sure, I could handle anything but what was I going to tell the kids? How could she just leave them? This was not happening. I barely remember changing and washing my face. I froze on the last step and took a deep breath putting on my best smile trying to act as natural as possible before going back to the kitchen._

"_Mommy, can I have another one? I'm still hungry," Niko said holding his plate up to me._

"_Sure." I moved around the kitchen like a zombie but neither of the kids realized as they stayed focused on their food before moving to the living room to watch TV. The kids were bouncing off the wall when my mom came barging through the front door using her emergency spare key. _

"_Grandma!" They both yelled before crashing their little bodies into her legs. My mom wrapped her arms around them while looking up at me giving me a small nod. _

"_So, Grandma and Grandpa want to have a sleepover with you guys this weekend. What do you say?" _

"_Yes! Yes!" They both said jumping up and down. _

"_I need to show Grandpa my new game!"_

"_No, I want to show Grandpa my barbie!" _

"_You two will have plenty of time to show Grandpa everything, okay? Come on, let's pack your bags and have fun. Mommy is boring anyways," my mom teased making the kids laugh. _

_After they left, reality slapped me in the face. My wife was gone. Just like that. I tried calling but she never picked up, not until the next day when she told me the reasons for leaving. My heart shattered into a million pieces. One day I was living the dream, married to someone I loved and considered my best friend raising two beautiful children and working my dream job and the next I was a single parent trying to juggle work and life. _

"You're doing an amazing job with them, Santana. _Especially, _this past year. Don't be so hard on yourself."

"Thanks, mom."

"Tell me about the employee she was blackmailing?"

"Oh, Brittany. She, uh, Celeste hired her, ironically back in August as her assistant but I noticed that she had a knack of picking good work when she found a manuscript and brought it to my attention. I promoted her to a Junior Editor and worked closely with her through the editing and launch process. It just sucks, you know? She worked so hard for the company and did nothing wrong and she's just so sweet and smart and all because of Celeste, she quit." I was getting heated all over again replaying the events between Celeste and me from earlier.

"So, how long have you had feelings for this Brittany?" My mom asked through a knowing smirk.

"What?" I said shockingly. "Feelings? No. She's just my employee. Ex-employee," I corrected myself.

"Oh, please Santana. Don't insult me. I know you better than anyone. So, how long?"

"I don't know," I blushed because I don't know when it started. The day at the zoo? No, that's just when it became obvious. The nights we spent working and talking? Yeah, probably during that time. "For a little while now."

"And does she feel the same way? That's where you went earlier, right? To see her?" It was scary how well my mom knew me as I sheepishly nodded.

"Honey, I know this year has been difficult, to say the least, but I'm happy you're putting yourself out there again," she said gently cupping my cheek with her soft hands. "But what about the kids? This isn't like it used to be where you could date anyone. You have to think about them."

"I know, mom. I would never do anything without thinking about them. The kids love Brittany. She babysat for them a couple of times a while back and I swear I've never seen them get so attached to someone that quickly."

"She must be special," she said with a warm smile.

"Yeah, I think she is."

My mom left when we both realized it was well past midnight. I loved these moments where we were able to spend time together. My steps were the lightest they had been in a long time as I washed my face and changed into pajamas all with a smile on my face and for once sleep came easily as I dreamt about a certain blonde who had so beautifully and unexpectedly crashed into my life.

/

"She's still asleep."

"What should we do?"

"I can make us breakfast."

"No, you can't."

"Yes, I can."

Two _not_ so quiet voices started to pull me away from my dream state and I lazily strained one eye open to see the culprits. Standing at the foot of my bed were the two most important people in my life and I watched as they faced each other continuing the debate of whether Niko would be able to make breakfast by himself or not. I tried to stay still to not give away the fact that I was now wide awake but Gabbie caught on when a giggle slipped through my lips.

"You're awake! Mommy, tell Niko he can't make breakfast by himself."

"Yes, I can. I'm eight. I'm all grown up now and I'm the man of this house."

"Oh, is that so?" I teased my son.

"Yup!" He said popping the 'p' and puffing out his chest.

"Okay, _man_ of the house. How about you come over here and give me my morning kiss, we cuddle a little and then go downstairs and Gabbs and I will watch you make us breakfast."

He tapped his finger against his chin as if thinking over the deal I offered him. "Deal," he said before climbing under the covers with Gabbie following behind. They both nestled their heads onto my chest and the warmth that their little bodies created was the most comforting feeling in the world as I exhaled a calming breath. "I love you two so much," I whispered in the space between them.

"Love you too, mommy," they simultaneously chimed.

Opting to stay in our pajamas for a little while longer, the three of us happily bounced downstairs and straight to the kitchen.

"Alright, Niko, what's on the menu this morning?" I asked while grabbing the twins their custom made aprons that my ex-wife and I bought for them as a birthday gift a couple of years back. The kids loved to help in the kitchen and the first time they asked to wear it after Jenn left was difficult and the fabric almost felt like it burned my skin as I touched it but as time went on looking at the aprons became easier and the memories attached to it faded as new memories were created between the three of us.

"How about," he said as he tied the apron around his waist. "French toast."

"My favorite," I winked toward my son. "Gabbs? What do you say, princess?"

"Extra cinnamon on top for me!"

The three of us got to work on breakfast making sure to get music playing on the vintage record player I had set up in the corner. Besides reading and collecting books, vinyl records were something I loved and was thrilled to see the kids feel the same way.

"So, no soccer, no karate and no piano today. What should we do?"

"Disneyland!" Niko screamed as he shoveled a mouthful of french toast into his awaiting mouth after dipping it into maple syrup.

"No," I quickly said shutting down that idea. "Soon though, I promise."

"Fine. Can we go to the park? I can ride my bike and use the new helmet grandpa got me."

"Yeah, the weather is perfect for the park. Gabbs? Want to ride your scooter a little?"

"Okay," she shrugged as she cut her food in a civilized manner, unlike her brother. "You know where we _should _go?" She gave me a smirk I knew all too well, the same smirk that my mother would _kindly _point out resembled mine so much. "The dog shelter. It's on the way to the park."

The kids had been begging me for a dog over the past few months and as much as it pained me to say no, it just wasn't the right time for our little family. I was working during the day and between all the different activities the kids were involved with after school and on weekends it was near impossible to think about adding a dog to our hectic schedule.

"We talked about this, honey. A dog is a huge responsibility. One day, okay?"

"Okay," she sighed. I hated disappointing them and it wasn't an empty promise when I said one day. I didn't have much time to dwell when my phone vibrated from the spot next to me. Something inside me fluttered when Brittany's name appeared on the screen.

_From Brittany: Good morning _

I knew the simple 'good morning' text brought an immediate blush to my cheeks and I didn't seem to care although I was grateful that my kids had since thrown themselves into a heated debate of the future name of our future dog to notice.

Before I had a chance to fully consider the consequences of my next words, they were already typed out as a response to Brittany's text and sent without a second thought.

_To Brittany: Morning. Any plans today?_

After the realization dawned on me that I did, in fact, send that text, panic arose. Was it too soon? Did I sound desperate? Clingy? God, I hated this stage of 'dating'. _Wait, we haven't even gone on a date. We aren't dating. But we kissed and she definitely knows how I feel and I'm pretty sure she feels the same, _my thoughts were everywhere. Luckily for me, Brittany's response came soon after leaving me little time to continue the clear panic attack I was heading toward.

_From Brittany: No plans. Rachel is gone for the weekend so just hanging around the house_

_Okay, no plans. I should ask her to hang out, right? _I thought to myself.

"Mommy," Gabbie's sweet voice brought me back to reality.

"Huh?"

"Why are your cheeks all red?" She asked crossing her arms across her chest. Great, another clear indication that she was certainly my daughter.

"Uh, just got a little warm in here," I said trying to distract them from asking further questions. "You guys done?" Without waiting for a response, I was clearing their plates.

_To Brittany: The kids and I are going to head out to the park soon. Want to join us? _

"Why don't you guys change. And grab a jacket. I'm thinking we need a picnic too."

Both kids seemed excited at the prospect of a picnic and scurried upstairs to change.

_From Brittany: I'd love to. Where should I meet you?_

_To Brittany: Just come over and we'll go together. It's not too far from here_

I joined the kids upstairs to get ready myself. I stood in my closet staring at the clothes I had when reality hit that I would be seeing Brittany. _Shit, _I cursed to myself. What the hell was I supposed to wear? _It's just an outing to the park, casual, _I thought to myself. _Don't overthink it. _Taking my own advice but still keeping it cute, I pulled on a pair of skinny jeans and chose a white v-neck long sleeve. Considering the cool yet sunny weather outside, I decided to finish the look with a black infinity scarf to keep my neck warm with my hair pulled up into a high pony-tail. Satisfied with my look, I went to check up on the kids and to give them the exciting news that Brittany would be joining us.

"Mommy, we're twins!" Gabbie said as she looked between her outfit and mine. And man, was she right since she decided to dress herself in a pair of jeans and a similar white top finishing the look with the new purple scarf she received for Christmas. The older she got the more she looked like me and it scared me how much it felt like staring in a mirror when I looked at her sometimes.

"You're right! What should we do with the hair?"

"Like yours, so I can see my scarf." I smiled at her reasoning to have the same hairstyle as me for the day. Satisfied with her look we ventured to the room next door to check on Niko.

"Ready, dude?"

"Yeah," he said before jumping off his bed.

Grabbing the picnic basket from the garage, I started to pack the fruit my mom had cut up from the night before and grabbed a few different drink options. For lunch, I planned on ordering sandwiches from the deli by the park.

"Don't forget the helmet," I reminded Niko as I packed the car with all the necessities. "Oh, guess what?"

"What?" Both kids turned to me enthusiastically waiting to see what I had to say.

"Brittany is coming with us to the park."

"She is?" Gabbie jumped with excitement while Niko shouted, "yes," and started to do some kind of happy dance.

"Yup. She should be here any minute actually. So do we have everything?"

Thankfully, packing the car distracted me enough so that I wasn't standing around anxiously waiting for Brittany to arrive. It hadn't even been twenty-fours since I last saw her but after last night and finally growing the courage to kiss the beautiful blonde, the thought of being in her presence made me feel like a giddy teenager. It had been so long since I felt this way or even let myself let go enough to embrace this feeling but it was nice and welcoming. The sound of a car door closing broke me from thoughts as I watched two little bodies crash into long legs. The image alone melted my heart and I stood a little longer to watch Brittany kneel down to their level and high-five each of them. She peeked at me as a warm smile appeared on her face which I immediately returned before Gabbie and Niko were grabbing her attention again.

"Guys, let her breathe. She just got here," I teased my kids once I found the strength to move my legs toward them.

"She's here. Let's go," they both whined as their patience grew thin and ran back toward the car, climbing into the back seat leaving Brittany and me alone. "Hi," I said shyly.

"Hi," she responded sounding just as coy.

"Thanks for coming."

"Thanks for inviting me." We both continued to stand there neither one of us brave enough to make a move. I knew my kids could see us so instead of leaning in to feel her soft lips against mine, I opted for a hug and having her wrapped in my arms, even if for a brief and very PG-hug, was good enough for me.

"We should probably go. Those two are probably seconds away from dragging us to the car." She nodded in response. As we drove away from my house, music playing and kids singing along, I was reminded of the last time we were in this situation. Except then I was trying my hardest to deny the feelings that I knew were inevitable for the blonde. We stopped by the deli before making the short trip to the park. By now, the weather had warmed up and it was turning out to be a beautiful day. Once I was sure the kids had the appropriate protection on, they started riding circles around the paved road circling the playground. Ditching the bike and scooter by the grassy area where we set up a large enough blanket for all four of us, they set off to throw around the frisbee I kept packed in the car. Brittany and I joined in for a while until the twins went climbing around the jungle gym.

"Nice setup. Do you guys do this often?" Brittany asked as she took a seat next to me extending her legs out and crossing them.

"We try to. Especially with the weather," I said while I unpacked the basket.

"Well, thanks for including me this time. I wasn't really doing anything at home and it's nice to be around the kids. It's crazy but being around kids has a way of brightening someone's day."

"Do you miss her?" I asked grabbing her attention away from the twins. "Sam, you miss her?" I asked again.

"Yeah, all the time. It was hard in the beginning. We had never been apart that long, you know?"

"I can't imagine the day those two leave me. I'm definitely going to be _that_ mom crying and staying in their dorm until they kick me out," I laughed only half-joking.

"You have time," she laughed with me.

"So, do I get to meet Sam?" I asked hesitantly. I knew it was probably too soon to be thinking about that but at the same time it felt right and I wanted to know everything there was to know about the blonde.

"Of course, she's coming home for the summer." The summer, meaning months from now. I smiled knowing that she expected us to still be around each other by then. After enjoying lunch, the kids went to play some more leaving Brittany and me alone.

"So, what exactly happened with Celeste?" She asked tentatively. It was still too soon and I could see the hurt behind her eyes. It upset me so much knowing that Celeste was the reason Brittany was out of a job, even though I offered her to come back, I understood why she couldn't, at least for now. My hopes were that in time, I would be able to convince her. I really was going to miss working with her.

_Flashback_

"_I'm really sorry, Santana." _

_At this point, Brittany's words were just words and my brain was having a hard time piecing together everything she was saying. My body was frozen and I know I looked like I had seen a ghost but no matter what I did, I couldn't move, couldn't get my mouth to form words, to stop her from apologizing, stop her from leaving. Leaving the company and leaving me. _

"_I'll clear my things out." I hardly heard her as she made her way out of my office and something inside of me shattered and all I could see was red. By the time I could find the strength to move, she was gone. Without hesitation and without a care in the world who was around to hear, I called Celeste to my office. _

"_Santana, glad to see that you did the right thing."_

"_Sit," I demanded. From the tone of my voice, her demeanor changed immediately. "What the hell is wrong with you? After all these years and everything I have done for you, everything I've given you, this is what you do?"_

"_Santana, wait, let me explain. She-"_

"_No, don't. I don't want to hear a damn word you have to say. Let me make myself clear. You are fired. And you better believe I will be involving legal with this. Blackmail? Have you lost your mind? Brittany has done nothing but help this company. So what, you found out she lied about her age? That is none of your fucking business. This company and its well being is none of your fucking business and if I have anything to do with it, you will never step foot in a publishing house again, I can promise you that."_

_At this point, I could feel my heart pounding through my chest with anger and the only redeeming factor was the pale face that was staring back at me._

"_Get the hell out of my office and out of this building. You will be hearing from my lawyers." _

"And that was it. She left. I still need to sit with the lawyers sometime this week. She'll probably just be hit with a fine but I can promise you that she will never find a job in this business again."

"I'm sorry you have to deal with all this because of me. If I just told everyone the truth, then-"

"Hey, Brittany, no," I quickly interrupted as I took her hand in mine. "Don't apologize. None of this is your fault, okay?"

"I just feel so bad. About everything."

"I promise you, there is nothing to feel bad about. She had no right to use the information she found against you. It's all out there now and like I told you last night, I understand why you did it."

"Thank you, Santana. For being so understanding," she said with a genuine smile. "And for inviting me today."

"Stop thanking me, you weirdo. The kids love having you around," I paused, "and I do too." I was met with a warm smile. "And don't think this counts as our date. Not with those two running around us."

"For the record, if this was a date, I would say it was a great first date. But I look forward to having alone time with you."

The kids had worn themselves out so we packed up and headed back home. Even with the insistence of the kids for Brittany to stick around for dinner, I understood her decision to kindly decline. They sighed and dragged their feet up the stairs as I walked Brittany out to her car.

"I had a really great time today," she said as she leaned against her car.

"So did I. I'm glad you came," I smiled. I was doing my best to keep my focus on her gorgeous blue eyes but felt my gaze lowering to her soft lips, yearning to feel them against mine again. Ever since our kiss, it's all I could think about and knew there was no way I would ever tire of the feeling of kissing her. "Well, have a good night," I said reluctantly. I didn't want her to leave just as much as my kids didn't want her to.

"You too," she said as she leaned forward to leave the softest and most gentle kiss against my cheek that was now a shade darker from the blush spreading across.

I waited outside and waved as I watched her car drive away. I took a deep breath and headed inside to make sure the kids were showered and prepared something for dinner a smile glued to my face the entire time. Today had been one of the best days I had in a long time, longer than I could even remember and the way the kids bounced around the house I knew that they felt the same.

**HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED THE NEW CHAPTER! DON'T FORGET TO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK :)**


	15. Something Special

**CHAPTER 15**

**SOMETHING SPECIAL**

_Brittany POV_

I was on cloud nine as I replayed the last forty-eight hours over and over again in my head. Ever since Santana showed up at my doorstep Friday night, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face and spending the day with her and the kids just made everything so much better. Sunday morning I woke up to a simple 'good morning' text and yet something so simple made my heart flutter with happiness. I poured myself a cup of coffee before grabbing my laptop and moving to the patio. Even though it had only been a couple of days since I officially quit L & L Publishing, I didn't have much time to waste before finding another job and I knew that it wasn't the easiest thing to find work in this industry. The fact that I now had the experience I had from working with Santana, I hoped that this time around the job search would go a lot smoother than before.

I updated my resume as I sipped on my cup of coffee and began to research different job openings in the publishing world. The morning hours flew by and I knew Rachel would be home soon. There was so much to tell her and I had missed my best friend these past couple of days, so much so that I pulled on pants and a t-shirt to go to the grocery store to pick some items up for a nice homemade dinner for the two of us, or maybe three, if Lana was sticking around.

I decided to make Rachel's favorite, eggplant parmesan and made sure to grab a few bottles of our favorite red wine that would go perfectly with the meal. It had been a while since I spent this much time in the kitchen ever since I started working and I truly missed the freeing feeling of cooking. I made sure to buy enough food in hopes that Lana would be able to join us and was waiting on a reply from Quinn to see if she wanted to come over as well. The groceries were put away and the sauce was simmering when the door opened.

"Britt?" I heard Rachel's voice ring through the house. She immediately dropped her bags haphazardly in the hallway and ran over to where I stood in the kitchen and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm so sorry." Her arms tightened even more around me as my arms hung dead by my sides and I was quite _literally _being squeezed to death.

"Baby, let her breathe," Lana's voice chimed in and I was thankful for her timing.

"Right, sorry. Wait, you're cooking? Why?"

"Yeah, I'm cooking. Because I miss my best friend and I wanted to do something nice for us," I shrugged turning my attention back to the sauce.

"I miss you too, honey but if I'm being honest, I expected to find you sitting in the dark or maybe locked in your room or something."

"You guys have a lot to talk about. I'm going to head home," Lana chimed in before I could correct Rachel about her assumptions. She wasn't wrong to expect those things had Santana not showed up Friday night but she, of course, didn't know about that particular detail yet.

"No, Lana, stay. I've made plenty of food and Quinn is on her way as well," I assured her through a genuine smile so she knew she was not intruding on anything. She returned the smile and dragged her and her girlfriend's bags from the hallway toward the bedroom.

"You made food, for everyone," Rachel stated more than questioned. "Seriously, did you not come clean to Santana and quit your job? Or did I miss something."

"Chill, Rach. And yes, I still quit and yes, Santana knows everything."

"But?"

"But," I dragged out the 't', "she came over Friday night and let me explain everything. And we sort of kissed," I said quickly before grabbing the dish that was now lined with eggplant and cheese to pop in the oven.

"You, what?" She screeched so loud I could have sworn my eardrum popped and at the same time, Lana had rejoined us in the kitchen giving us both a look of surprise. By the time I got through telling them about the past two days, Quinn had arrived and thankfully, she was already up to speed about the status of my life.

"Smells good in here, Britt," she said as she greeted me with a kiss on the cheek and handed me a bottle of wine. The food was ready shortly after pouring us all a glass and we sat to eat.

"Damn, this is amazing. You haven't made this in a while," Rachel moaned as she chewed on the food in her mouth.

"So, what are you going to do for work?" Lana asked.

"She _should _just come back to work with me," Quinn said nudging me with her elbow.

"I can't do that," I said before taking a sip of the wine Quinn brought with her. "I updated my resume earlier and found a few listings at other publishing houses in the area."

"Santana already said your job is waiting for you. What's the problem?" Quinn added.

"It just wouldn't feel right working there while we start whatever this is between us. I mean, I know it's still early and it's not like we're exclusive or anything like that yet, but I want to give it a chance to maybe turn into that and working together could complicate that."

"You should talk to her, Britt. I don't know Santana but from what you've told me about her, I can't imagine her giving you special treatment just because you're dating or something."

"I know. I told her I'd think about it but in the meantime, I need to look for another job."

"Well, I have some contacts I can reach out to, see if they know of any positions open," Quinn added.

"Thanks, Quinn. I'd really appreciate that."

After dinner, we sat around in the living room polishing off yet another bottle of wine before Lana and Quinn decided it was time to head home. Rachel insisted on doing the dishes after the dinner I prepared so I hopped on the counter to keep her company when I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket.

_From Santana: The twins miss you…_

With the text was a picture of the twins smiling so wide you could see all their teeth.

_To Santana: Aw, tell them I miss them too. How was your day? _

I checked the time and knew that the kids must have already been asleep and pictured Santana sitting in bed, glasses perched on her nose as we exchanged texts rather quickly.

_From Santana: It was good. Kids and I had lunch with my parents and then, of course, they insisted that they take them shopping. As if either one of them needs anything else…_

_To Santana: But who can resist those two? I know I wouldn't be able to. I'd want to spoil them too_

_From Santana: Yeah-yeah and they know it too. How was your day?_

_To Santana: It was good. Did some job searching and then had dinner with Quinn, Rachel, and her girlfriend_

_From Santana: Sounds like a lovely Sunday _

"Texting Santana?" Rachel's voice broke my concentration out of my phone.

"Uh, yeah," I said, trying to hide the blush that I knew was forming.

_From Santana: Confession… The twins aren't the only ones who miss you… _

"You haven't stopped smiling," she commented and after reading the last text there was no question if I was blushing or not. In fact, I'm sure Rachel could feel the heat coming off my face from her spot next to me. "It's been a long time since I've seen you smile like that," she said her eyes softening. Her voice was quiet and calm and not once hinted a teasing tone.

"I don't know what it is about her, Rach," I said sighing to myself.

"She seems special."

"Yeah, she is."

_To Santana: Confession… I miss you too_

/

I was lucky enough to land a couple of interviews during the week and they went much better than they had months ago when my experience in the publishing world had been practically non-existent for years. But now, with L & L Publishing on my resume, it seemed every publishing house, small and big, were willing to set up an interview regardless of my age, which was _definitely _the issue before. However, what was unfortunate was the fact that most of these places didn't pay _nearly _as much as Santana did for a Junior Editor position. I saved quite a bit working with Santana but I was still sending as much money as I could to Sam. I was lucky to be living with Rachel but I also knew deep down that would need to end soon as well. For the first time in her life, she had a serious girlfriend and it was only a matter of time before they took the next step and moved in together. And as much as I loved living with my best friend, it was time for me to have my own space as well, maybe a small two-bedroom so Sam had her own space when she came back from school for the summer.

I kindly smiled as the interviews concluded and let those that offered me a job know that I would give it some thought and get back to them with a decision. This was my chance, my clean slate to rebuild which is something that I should have done after the divorce but regardless, now was my time. For once, my love life seemed to be falling in line and the rest I could figure out in due time.

I planned to meet Quinn for a late lunch since I happened to be in the area after meeting with yet another publishing house. It was the first time I stepped foot into L & L Publishing since the incident with Celeste and it felt strange to stand in the same elevator I rode nearly every day for over six months with only the intention of visiting. What made me feel even more strange and empty was the fact that Santana was not in the office today. _Just my luck, _I thought to myself. It was Thursday, meaning almost a week had gone since our first kiss and although it was short, much shorter than I liked, my lips still tingled at the thought of her soft ones moving so effortlessly against mine. We hadn't missed a single day without talking, either on the phone late at night after the kids had been fed, bathed and tucked into bed or over text throughout the day.

"Hey, Britt," Quinn said from her spot at her desk.

"Hey. Ready?"

"Yeah, let me just send this e-mail and we can go," she said as she quickly typed out a response before sending.

"Okay, I'll wait for you outside." Before heading to the lobby outside the office doors, I snuck my way into Santana's office to leave a single white rose on her desk along with a playful note to let her know I was thinking about her. Even though she was out of the office, I worked with her long enough to know that she liked to come back to the office and organize everything from the day so she didn't have to deal with it the next morning.

Quinn and I went to the nearby cafe that we visited frequently when we worked together.

"So, how are things around the office without Celeste?" Not much time had passed since the ordeal with Celeste but knowing that Santana fired her on the spot and was working with her lawyers to sue, it made me feel better about the situation. And the fact that it practically _forced _me to get over my fear and finally come clean to Santana was a plus especially the fact that we had established our relationship was more than what we were letting on.

"Oh my god. Fucking amazing. Honestly, I feel like we can breathe again. She wasn't even technically my boss but just having her around was a pain in my ass. Only thing missing is you," she teased.

"Yeah, I miss you too," I winked.

"How was the interview?"

"Went really well. Just the salary is kind of shitty," I answered truthfully. "I'll figure it out. Tell me what's up with you?"

"Well," she said dragging out the word. "I, uh, I broke up with Eli."

"You did?" I exclaimed. "Holy shit. Um, okay. How are you?"

"I'm good," she said quietly. "Actually, I'm great. You were right. I don't give a shit what my parents have to say. I'm done living my life for them. I'm an adult, I have a great job, I have my own place, I don't need them."

"I'm so happy for you, Quinn."

"Thanks. How about you? Anything new with your love life?"

"Nothing new since Sunday. I know she's busy with work and the kids but we've talked every day."

"I'm happy for you, Britt. Look at us getting our life together," she joked. "Cheers to us."

It was much later in the evening when my phone buzzed from my nightstand. After lunch with Quinn, Rachel and I decided to treat ourselves to dinner at the new sushi bar that opened a few blocks away. We walked and even shared a couple of bottles of sake. And now I was showered and in bed with a book in my hand when my phone caught my attention.

_From Santana: *picture of note and flower* This was a nice surprise and who knew you were so smooth with your words_

I giggled at her text before replying quickly.

_To Santana: Well, you know, I did work for a prestigious publishing house so I guess I have to be good with my words_

_From Santana: Guess you're right… _

Instead of replying with another text, I hit the call button and waited to see the brunettes face on the screen.

"_Hi," she answered shyly. _

"Hi," I smiled feeling just as shy.

"_So, you came by the office today?"_

"Yup. I was grabbing lunch with Quinn and then I thought I could leave you a little surprise even though you were out of the office."

"_So romantic." _

"Shut up," I blushed. "What are you doing?" I asked as I leaned further back against the stack of pillows in my bed.

"_Reading a manuscript. I don't know how much more I'll be able to read. I'm exhausted." _

"Long day?"

"_The longest. After work, I went to my parents to have dinner with them and the kids and then, of course, Niko forgot to tell me about some art supplies he needs for class until we're pulling up to the house so we had to go to the store."_

"I know that feeling. Sam used to tell me things last minute all the time," I laughed as I recalled the many times Sam would suddenly mention a project that was due or a book report that she needed help with. "You should sleep. You look tired."

"_Mhm," she smiled tiredly before removing the glasses off her face and rubbing her eyes. "Are you free Saturday night?" _

"You asking me out on a date?" I narrowed my eyes teasingly.

"_Depends, are you free?" _

"Yes."

"_Then yes, I'm definitely asking you out on a date. Just me and you, no kids, promise."_

"I can't wait."

"_Neither can I," she said as she tried to mask the yawn that threatened to escape her. _

"You should get some sleep."

"_Mm, yeah, I guess you're right. Goodnight, Brittany."_

"Goodnight, Santana."

/

Lucky for me, Saturday came a lot sooner than expected as the anticipation for our first date grew with each passing minute. My morning started as usual, with a trip to a nearby coffee shop I had grown to love before heading home and enjoying some time with Rachel.

"So, I'm thinking about finding my own place to rent," I stated casually as Rachel and I shared a lavender scone from the coffee shop.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Think it's time. I appreciate everything you've done for me since the divorce but I need to be on my own again. Plus, with Sam coming back for the summer it would be nice for her to have a place she can call her own," I explained.

"Wow, I know it hasn't been that long but I feel like we've always lived together. It would be weird without you here."

"I know. But think about yourself too, Rach. You and Lana are getting serious and don't tell me you haven't thought about asking her to move in with you."

"Maybe once or twice," she said lowering her voice that I hardly heard her. "But don't even pretend this isn't about wanting your own space now that you have a _girlfriend," _she added in a teasing manner.

"She is _not _my girlfriend. We haven't even been out on our first date. So, no, this is definitely _not _about Santana." Thinking about Santana and the word _girlfriend_ made me blush and I cursed the fact that I had no control over it and no way to hide it.

"Whatever you say, Britt. Speaking of your first date, what does she have planned for you two?"

"Dinner."

"Fancy? Or what?"

"She said it was a nice place but not like completely dressy," I shrugged.

"Do you know what you're going to wear?"

"I have an idea."

"You have an idea? Britt, the first date is important," she said her eyes wide in shock at my calmness. "That's it. Get up."

"What? Why?"

"We're going through your closet to make sure you have the perfect outfit."

The rest of the day flew by. After Rachel was satisfied with my chosen outfit, she insisted on helping with my hair and makeup.

"You seem calm," she commented as she curled the last strand of hair.

"I feel calm. Wait, is that a bad thing? Shouldn't I be nervous? This is a sign, isn't it? Crap, Rachel. This is a mistake, I shouldn't-"

"Britt!" Rachel's voice broke me from my panic. "Chill the fuck out!"

"Right, chill."

"And by that little outburst I would say you are definitely _not _calm," she smirked.

"I was until you opened your big mouth!" I snapped and instead of sounding angry my voice cracked as it reached a high pitch it wasn't used to.

"It's Santana. You guys have spent so much time around each other, there is absolutely nothing to be nervous about, okay?"

"Okay, yeah. Nothing to be nervous about," I mumbled to myself and just when my breathing went back to normal and my palms stopped sweating, there was a knock on the door. "Shit," I grunted breathlessly to myself. Rachel was no longer by my side and I could hear distant voices greeting each other at the door. She must have fled toward the door the second she heard the knock to welcome Santana in.

"Your date is here," she proclaimed as she peeked her head inside my room where I stood frozen in place as if I wasn't already aware that Santana was here. I took one last deep breath to try and calm myself down before moving on wobbly legs toward the living room. While in the midst of my mild freak out, I never once considered the fact that seeing Santana looking so beautiful would _literally _knock me off my feet, but here I was, mouth hanging open as I trailed my eyes up and down the goddess that stood in front of me.

Black skinny jeans hugged her curvy hips and the loose satin top hung low enough to show off her soft skin on her chest. Her healed boots gave her extra height to almost be eye level with me as I chose to wear slightly lower-heeled booties. She looked stunning with her hair flowing over her shoulders in a perfectly tamed wave and make-up that accentuated her deep brown eyes.

"Hi," Santana said as I caught her gaze take in my appearance much as mine had just seconds ago.

"Hi," I responded smiling warmly at her. I practically forgot that Rachel was still in the room and had I noticed her presence, I wouldn't have missed the way her eyes darted between us two as we stood staring at each other.

"Well, I'll let you guys get to it. Santana, it was a pleasure to finally meet you. This one can't seem to ever stop talking about you," she said through a mischievous grin as I snapped my gaze to her with a hardened look. Did she really just say that?

"Nice to meet you too."

Once we were free from Rachel and finally alone, we silently made our way to Santana's car. As she reached to open the passenger door for me, she spoke up breaking the comfortable silence.

"You look beautiful, Brittany." I couldn't stop my stomach from fluttering at her words.

"So do you," I replied and hoped that my words had the same effect on her as they did on me. From the way she lowered her chin to hide her face made me think that it did. After shutting the door and scrambling to the driver's side, she pulled away and drove toward the restaurant.

"This is different," I commented looking toward my left just in time to see her eyebrows lift in questioning.

"What is?" She asked never taking her eyes off the road in front of us.

"Being in your car and _not _listening to Disney music," I joked.

She joined me in laughter. "I guess you're right. Would you prefer we listen to that instead?" I knew she was teasing me from the smirk on her face.

"No, this is perfect. So, where are we going?"

"Well, I did promise dinner."

"Yes, you did."

The restaurant was near Santana's house and the thirty-minute drive was filled with comfortable conversation. Even though this was a date and our dynamic had changed, she was still the girl I had gotten to know well over the last several months. We pulled up to a nice steakhouse as she escorted me through the large double doors. After giving her name, the hostess escorted us to a dimly lit table for two.

"Your waiter will be over shortly to take your order," she smiled politely.

"Wow, everything looks incredible," I spoke up as I read through the menu. "What do you recommend?"

"Actually, I've never been here before. My parents told me about it a few months back and I've been wanting to come ever since."

We decided on an appetizer to enjoy while we sipped our drinks before putting in our dinner orders.

"Where are the twins tonight?" I asked taking a sip of my dirty martini.

"With my parents."

"That's amazing that they live so close and are able to help out."

"You have no idea. I don't know what I would do without them, especially this past year. Plus, the kids absolutely adore them. When I told them they would be spending the night there tonight it's like I stopped existing," she said through a smile.

"Having that relationship with grandparents is important. How are the kids?"

"They're great. They asked what I was doing tonight once they stopped running around from the excitement of going to my parents. When they heard your name, they started bouncing off the walls again. Niko has asked me to formally invite you to his soccer game coming up in a few weeks, by the way."

"They're cute kids. And I would love to see him play." The smile on Santana's face told me that Niko wouldn't be the only one happy to have me at his game.

Our food arrived and everything looked amazing, my hunger now a lot more evident. I cut into my perfectly cooked filet mignon and took a bite and tried to hold back the moan that threatened to escape me at the taste.

"Wow, this is amazing."

"Glad you like it," she smiled as she took the first bite of her New York strip. "Oh yeah, this _is _delicious."

It was clear we were both enjoying our food as the next fifteen minutes passed in silence only speaking every few bites to reiterate how delicious our meal really was.

"So, that's Rachel," she said.

"Yup. That's Rachel. She can be a lot but what else do you expect from an ex-broadway star?" I joked. "Actually, if she heard me call her an ex-broadway star she would throw a fit. You need to try this," I insisted as I cut a piece and leaned the fork across the table waiting for her to move forward and take a bite. When she wrapped her plump lips around my fork my mind went blank and I couldn't tear my eyes away. _Wow, that's sexy, _I thought to myself.

"Holy shit, that's delicious." Her smooth voice luckily snapped me from my thoughts I was having just seconds before. After we both finished our plates, the waiter came back around.

"Any room for dessert?" Santana looked in my direction for an answer. As much as I would love to try what they had to offer for dessert, I was entirely too full to eat anything else.

"I'm beyond full," I said before looking to Santana. "If you want something though, you should get it."

"Oh no. There is absolutely no more room in my stomach," she said before turning her attention back to the waiter. "We'll take the check," she told him sweetly.

"Thank you for dinner, Santana. Everything was amazing."

"You're welcome. Thank _you_ for joining me."

Once the check was paid which Santana insisted that she handle since she was the one who asked me out, we walked back toward her car. I felt a sudden rush of sadness take over at the thought of our night being over, not nearly spending enough time with her. As she drove away from the restaurant, I quickly noticed that we were not headed back toward Rachel's.

"Aren't you going the wrong way?" I asked curiously.

"Nope," she said. "We're going the right way. Don't worry."

I looked at her curiously before deciding to not question her further. Maybe our night wasn't over yet after all. We parked the car in a nearby parking structure and started to walk down the street past a few small shops. I was familiar with this place as I remembered visiting here before when I stumbled upon the old bookstore.

"Have room for coffee?" She asked.

"I always have room for coffee." We popped into a coffee shop before ordering a couple of drinks but instead of finding a table for us, Santana made sure to ask the barista to prepare our drinks in a to-go cup.

She must have sensed that I would question her decision. "We're not staying here, just thought a warm coffee would be nice while we walked around." We continued down the street walking side by side and suddenly my mind was distracted by the urge to hold her hand. It wasn't like me to overthink a situation like this but then again I had been with the same man for almost twenty years and Dominic, well with Dominic, things were just fun and exciting. But with Santana, it's like I questioned everything and even though it was our first date, it seemed like it was even more important for this night to go well because Santana was something special and somewhere deep inside I knew that this, Santana and me, _could _be something special.

As I pushed myself to grow the courage to just go for it and take her hand in mine, fingers slowly grazed against me as they intertwined with mine. Santana did what I had wanted to do and we were now walking hand in hand and nothing felt better. I looked to my left and noticed the small smile that graced her lips as she took a sip of her coffee. Yeah, she was special.

"We're here," she said as we stood in front of the old bookstore.

"Is it even open?"

"Yeah, the owner holds a reading on Saturday nights. I thought, you know, since you enjoy books maybe even more than me, that this would be a nice way to spend our night."

"This is the best way to spend our night. Let's go in!"

And it was. Between the reading and being around Santana, it really was the best date. After the reading ended, we strolled back toward the car as she drove me home. To think I was nervous before tonight was insane because once I was in Santana's presence everything I was nervous about dissipated.

Without hesitation this time, I took her hand in mine as we walked toward the elevator and never let go, not once, as we waited for the doors to open to Rachel's floor. It seemed that our steps slowed as if neither of us wanted the night to end but knew the second we reached the door that it would be goodnight. But we inevitably reached the door and as we kept our hands clasped I turned to face her.

"I had a really great time tonight," she spoke first, her eyes softening.

"I did too," I responded and then time froze as I got lost in her eyes and in the way her tongue slightly poked out to wet her lips and after that, I was a goner. I felt the gravitational pull toward her as I leaned in and was happy to see her do the same, eyes darkening and fluttering closed. Within seconds we were connected only our lips grazing against each other at first but I needed more as my hands went to her waist to hold us in place, one arm slipping behind to cup her lower back. As our bodies molded into one, her hand snaked up and gently cupped my cheek as I tilted my head to deepen the kiss and when our tongues met it's like everything around me disappeared. Thirty-eight years, I lived thirty-eight years without ever feeling this sort of passion and explosion yet tenderness and safety with one kiss. And sure, we had kissed before but not like this, this kiss was not rushed. It was slow and tender but filled with excitement and I swear I could kiss this girl every day and never tire.

But all good things must come to an end and after minutes of our tongues creating magic, we parted for air, our eyes fluttering open at the same time as we exchanged the same warm and lazy smile.

"Goodnight, Brittany," she said just above a whisper and I could feel her breath on my lips as she spoke.

"Goodnight, Santana," I returned and leaned in for one last kiss hoping that it would be enough to get me through till the next time we could embrace again. Of course, one simple kiss turned into a much more heated kiss, but who could blame us? Kissing Santana had quickly become my most favorite thing in the world.

Reluctantly we pulled away from each other as I watched Santana retreat back toward the elevator, waving one last goodbye as she turned around before stepping inside. Taking a deep sigh, I pushed myself off the front door where I leaned all my weight, suddenly feeling dizzy now that Santana had left my arms. I floated toward my room and when I tucked myself into bed, I knew that there was nothing in the world that could stop the enormous smile that was now on full display. Before drifting off into a peaceful sleep, my phone buzzed with a text.

_From Santana: Just got home. Thank you for tonight. I had the most amazing time with you_

_To Santana: Good. I'm glad you made it home safe. Tonight was one of the best nights of my life_

**I'M BACK BEAUTIFUL READERS! I HOPE YOU ALL LIKE THE UPDATE AND CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT EVERYONE THINKS! FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW, DON'T FORGET TO FAVORITE/FOLLOW TO SEE WHEN THE NEXT CHAPTER IS POSTED! 3 LOVE YOU ALL**


	16. New Beginnings

**CHAPTER 16**

**NEW BEGINNINGS**

"_Mm_."

_God, _the angelic sound of Santana humming against my lips threw me into a blissful daze.

Ever since I first discovered the addictiveness that was kissing Santana, it quickly pushed itself up to the top of my most favorite things to do. And that is the situation I currently found myself in, on Santana's couch lips locked in a heated kiss with the gorgeous brunette that I unknowingly pined for long before I knew it was her I wanted.

The past two months of dating Santana Lopez were the most blissful months I'd experienced. Date nights, weekends spent with her and the twins, everything that involved the brunette was the main reason for the smile on my face. Tonight was no different than the nights we had grown accustomed to spending together, calling it "group date nights" because they usually consisted of dinner at Santana's and the twins running around until they would inevitably tire out and go to bed and I was not complaining. I loved spending time with them almost as much as I did with Santana.

And so here we were, completely lost in each other's embrace as we made out like a couple of horny teenagers. It started as it always did, with a glass of wine and both of us cuddled up on the couch as we browsed Netflix until we finally decided on something to watch, both of us aware of the fact that we wouldn't be watching much of anything in a few minutes. I couldn't even tell you what was currently playing on the screen behind us as my thoughts and senses were completely taken over by all things Santana.

The second time I heard her moan, much louder this time, I took it upon myself to get her to do it again and knew I would succeed once I had my lips attached to the spot on her neck that was most sensitive, that spot that I had discovered just recently and smirked against her skin as I lowered my kisses dragging my lips against her jawline and then finally settling right under her pulse point. That's another thing that had become a trend recently, soft kisses turned heated which would then turn into hands curiously wandering to discover uncharted territory. Anyone who knew this was as far as we had gone in regards to intimacy would call us crazy. Two adults who had plenty of experience and dating for two months exclusively, although not openly discussed, would have _certainly _explored the next level of physical intimacy. But it was almost unspoken as if we were both hesitant to trust again, both of us burned in our own way from a past relationship. It didn't help in the rare chance that we were in a situation to perhaps move forward that we were usually at Santana's and accompanied by two very curious and attentive eight-year-olds. Two very _smart _eight-year-olds.

Santana and I weren't naive, nor did we try to hide the smiles and blushes that seemed to frequently occur when we were together. We knew the twins had an idea of our relationship and the fact that it was likely something more than just friendship but Santana did not have the official conversation with them and we made sure to keep our interaction PG, meaning no kissing or anything in their presence, at least for the time being.

Maybe it was the second glass of wine or maybe it was the fact that I was making out with the most breathtaking human, _whatever _the reason, a boldness erupted inside of me as I found my hand sliding beneath her shirt that had slightly risen to expose a sliver of her tan, soft skin. The first contact sent a shiver down my spine and seeing as Santana did not twitch or pull away from my touch I pushed further as my fingers dragged against her toned stomach. I groaned at the feeling of defined abs under my touch, _how was she real, _I thought to myself.

The fact that it was a weeknight or the fact that it was getting late and I should probably be on my way home never crossed my mind and the way Santana leaned into my touch made me believe that she wasn't concerned either. It felt good to be this close to her especially with her fingers playing softly with the small hairs that had escaped my ponytail at the base of my neck. Similar to two horny teenagers, we eventually parted to come up for air and I almost fainted as my eyes slowly opened to be met with a blissful Santana, lips swollen and eyes dazed. She was a sight to see.

"Hi," I said breathly with a small smirk my eyes darting between her brown orbs and her pink full lips.

"Hi," she replied.

"I should get going. You know, work tomorrow and all," I said unmoving sounding anything but convincing.

"Right," she nodded innocently. But then her eyes darkened and a devilish smirk spread across her face as she leaned in attaching her lips to my neck. "You know," she started between kisses, "I could always talk to your boss about coming in late tomorrow. It's Friday after all…" she continued as her tongue poked out leaving a wet trail to my earlobe, "and I can be very," _kiss, _"very," _suck, _"convincing." I groaned into her touch as I felt myself become putty in her hands.

"You don't know my boss," I moaned as she continued her ministrations across my jawline getting closer and closer to my waiting lips, "she's kind of a stickler with time and attendance. You don't want to upset her." I surprised even myself that I was able to string together enough words to form a coherent sentence.

I groaned when suddenly she pulled away from me giving me a playful scowl. "Is that so?" She husked, her head tilting questioningly.

"Uh-huh."

"Like you said, you don't want to upset her. And right now she really, really wants you to stay," she said the last part above a whisper as she fluttered her lashes. _Did I hear correctly? Stay? As in spend the night? In her house? In her bed?_ My thoughts were everywhere as I searched her eyes for any indication of doubt. And yes, Santana had worked tirelessly the last two months to convince me of returning back to work and I knew it was only a matter of time before I gave in. One thing I learned from our months of growing friendship was that she was a difficult person to deny and so after much consideration and a very long conversation about how I would only return as a Junior Editor and want to be promoted fairly, I agreed and was once again a dedicated employee of L & L Publishing. It was a breath of fresh air walking through the doors my first day back only a month ago knowing that Celeste would not be waiting around the corner, watching my every move. Quinn was beyond excited when I told her the great news as well.

"Santana?" I asked not entirely sure what question was to follow. "I-, you-, we-." _Great, now she had you stuttering like an idiot._

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. It's too soon, you're not ready," she started to ramble but I couldn't bring myself to move and stop her, my eyes wide staring as she continued, "Obviously, it's only been two months but the best two months of my life and sure I think you're my girlfriend and we can just sleep, don't feel pressured to-" and that was the tipping point. The urge to kiss her was too strong as I not-so-smoothly crashed against her lips.

"_Mmph," _she moaned but her hands were quick to react wrapping around my neck.

"Girlfriend, huh?" I couldn't resist teasing her but her eyes shot open growing wider by the second.

"I- I-," she stuttered. "Shit. I've been racking my brain this past week on how to ask you without sounding like a huge dork and every time I came close, I chickened out and now I just practically blurted out the fact that I consider you my girlfriend and you probably think I'm crazy and who would blame you, I _am _crazy, and-," she was rambling again and god, she was so freaking adorable. Since it worked so well the first time, I tried my luck for a second time and kissed her. Once I felt her calm under my fingertips, I slowly backed away displaying a soft smile.

"Hey, Santana?" I looked between her eyes to make sure I had her full attention. "I would love to be your girlfriend."

"You would?" I nodded without hesitation. "You don't think I'm crazy?"

"Maybe a little," I teased not able to resist. "But I also think it's adorable."

"So, you'll stay a little longer? I just really want to make-out with my girlfriend," she said and I think I died and went to heaven at her cuteness. How could anyone resist this?

"Yeah, I'll stay. Because I really want to make-out with my girlfriend, too." I felt like a giddy high school student, finding out that my crush wanted to make it official with me just as much as I wanted to make it official with them. I felt on top of the world and the feeling only intensified as Santana led me upstairs, past the twin's rooms and toward the master bedroom.

My heart rate increased as she pushed me against the door the second it was closed and hungrily attached her lips against my neck, my hands wandering her entire body and trying to touch everywhere and everything at once. Arousal shot between my legs as she twirled us away from the door and led me backward till my legs were hitting the edge of her bed. It's as if time stood still and the image of Santana separating herself from me just enough to lift her shirt off her body moved in slow motion. I unconsciously licked my lips as I dropped my gaze to take in the goddess that stood half-naked in front of me. When my eyes locked with hers, I was met with the softest and warmest smile. I couldn't take it as I stood to rip my shirt off before attaching my body with hers.

The whole experience was overwhelming, and although neither one of us was a stranger to being intimate, something about sharing this intimacy with Santana was different, explosive and warm. The way she worked me up with her delicate fingers, the way her kisses trailed a path between my cleavage and down to the warmth that awaited between my legs, it was all enough to shoot pleasure throughout my entire body. Mustering up enough energy, I just knew I had to have my way with her. I had waited too long and dreamt about this too many nights not to and that was enough for me to flip her on her backside before worshipping her body.

If I thought the delicious moans that escaped Santana's lips while we kissed were something to be addicted to, well, the moans that broke free while I worked my fingers in and out of her were something to die over and I just knew that it would quickly become my new addiction. The way my name spilled from her slightly parted plump lips, the way her hips would rut meeting my every thrust, the way her left hand stayed tightly gripped behind my neck, it was something I burned to memory.

"Wow," we huffed almost simultaneously as we fell against the mattress trying to even out our breathing.

"This was not what I expected when you invited me over for pizza," I smirked turning on my side to face Santana.

"Neither did I. Although I was praying it would," she smiled euphorically and her cuteness was too much to handle so I leaned in to give her a simple and soft kiss. "I want to tell the kids," she whispered quietly. We both knew that neither Niko nor Gabbie would have _any _issue once they were made aware of our relationship status change, in fact, they would be ecstatic. There was so much behind Santana's words, behind her proclamation of wanting to tell her kids about us, about our relationship that made my heart skip a beat.

I was not blind to the fact that Santana and the kids had been through hell, with her wife and their mother leaving without any notice. Santana did not trust easily and did not bring people into her life let alone her kids lives willingly. And although I was no stranger to the twins and had all grown close, telling them about our relationship was a big step, a committed step and I was ready for it all.

"Don't feel like you have to, Santana. I'm okay with telling them whenever _you're _ready," I said truthfully. She responded with a smile and a quick kiss. We laid in comfortable silence, Santana nuzzled against my side head resting against my chest, our legs tangled under the sheets that were thrown haphazardly across our satiated bodies. I knew I had to leave soon, now the time definitely past midnight. "I should head home," I broke the silence as I felt her strengthen her grip on my waist.

"No." I could practically hear the pout that was undeniably spread across her face. "Five more minutes."

I giggled softly as I continued running a finger against the exposed skin on her back. "Okay, five more minutes."

/

A loud beeping sound started to pull me from the best and deepest sleep I had in a long time. My heart was happy and my body was relaxed. I stirred when the beeping started for a second time except something stopped me from physically moving. My eyes shot open and fell upon an untamed flow of brown hair, my arm caught underneath the sleeping beauty next to me. Her intoxicating scent filled my senses and the urge to lean forward to close the small gap grew by the second. Knowing underneath the sheets pressed up against my own body was a very naked Santana made the rhythm of my heart irregular and drown out all the noise around me, including the alarm. It was just all too much to handle and I closed the small gap between our bodies pulling her closer against me as I ghosted my lips against her exposed shoulder.

I felt her body nestle further into me, if that was possible, seeing as we were already flush against each other. As my lips pushed against her shoulder one more time, the alarm blared through the room effectively waking Santana up only enough to turn it off. In her sleepy state, she spun in my arms so that we were face to face. She looked even more beautiful first thing in the morning, eyes lazily blinking as she willed them open, lips puffy from sleep.

"Mm," she moaned as she nestled her head under my chin, "morning," came her husky voice and I all but died as the sound reached my ears.

"Morning," I muttered. Any sense of reality was gone as we laid unmoving curled up in bed, never mind the fact that it was a workday, never mind the fact that I slept over and never mind the fact that neither one of us seemed to remember that Santana had two very curious and alert kids.

Reality came crashing down on us, _figuratively_, as a loud crash, _physically_, came from right outside Santana's large master bedroom.

"Niko! That's mine!"

"No, it's not. It's mine!"

"Mommy!" Two loud screeches came from what I could assume was just steps away from the front door and when I whipped my head to Santana her eyes were just as wide as mine. Yup, the reality was setting in, the reality that I was in Santana's bed, naked.

"Shit," we both hissed as we scrambled around her room looking for clothes that had been thrown around the room the night before. Santana was in the middle of throwing a shirt over her body and I was pulling my pants on when we both froze as the doorknob rattled. It was at that very moment that I thanked the Gods above that we had half a mind to lock the door last night.

"Mommy, why's the door locked?" Her daughter asked as she continued to rattle the door.

"Uh," she said so Gabbie could hear her through the door while looking at me for help, "hold on, honey. I was in the shower."

"What do we do?" I whispered so they wouldn't hear me on the other side.

"Um, _shit,_" she hissed, "okay, hide in my closet. Let me get them settled and I'll come get you and get you out of the house." She frantically finished throwing her hair into a messy bun her eyes darting everywhere in the room to make sure it was decent. And sure, it was _decent, _but the bed and the sheets looked disheveled more so than they would if Santana was sleeping in it alone. But kids wouldn't know the difference, right?

Before moving to the closet though, I scooped Santana close by wrapping my arms around her waist. I couldn't resist giving her a kiss because even in her frantic morning state, she was still as adorable as ever.

"Better," I whispered against her lips, "now go," I said tapping her playfully on the butt before slipping into the very large closet.

I could hear the small argument that Santana quickly diffused as she slipped out of the room as I waited patiently for her to return. It was not even fifteen minutes later that she did.

"Well, that was close," she said cheekily joining me in the closet and wrapping her arms around my neck. "Not how I imagined our first sleepover going." She was such a dork.

"Oh yeah? And how did you exactly imagine it going?"

"For starters, my very annoying and obnoxious children would be nowhere near this house or us," she started with an eye roll. I laughed knowing she didn't think, even for a second, that her kids were annoying or obnoxious. "Secondly, it would not be a day where we needed to be at work because I would spend the whole day in bed with you."

"The whole day, huh?" I teased.

"Yup, the whole day. Me, you, no kids and no work."

"Such romantic," I continued to tease as I closed the gap. "Is it safe to sneak me out? I kind of need to get home and get ready for work."

"Let's call in sick and just stay here like this."

"Sounds lovely, and the kids?"

"Eh, they're fine. They can get themselves to school," she joked.

"I'm sure. Come on, sneak me out so you're parents don't see me," I winked.

"Weirdo."

We quietly made our way down the stairs and I wondered what her grand plan was to get me out undetected. To the left of the stairs was the open entrance to the kitchen where the twins were currently eating cereal. If we went straight for the front door they would, without a doubt, see us. But if we went to the right and past the living room, I would be able to slip out through the garage door. Distracted with thoughts of Santana's escape route, I missed the small movement to my left and was startled when Gabbie's voice rang through the kitchen.

"Brittany?" She asked questioningly. _Fuck._

"Gabbs! Uh," Santana started but seemed to be at a loss for words and for the second time this morning I saw panic in her eyes.

"Are you here to have breakfast with us?" She asked sweetly. Again, the innocence of a child melted my heart.

"No, sweety. She was just here to um, to-"

"To drop something off for work," I finished for Santana. The kids knew we worked together and this was an acceptable reason. What we didn't account for was the perceptiveness of the little girl. She quirked an eyebrow as she crossed her little arms across her chest.

"Why are you wearing the same shirt from yesterday?" See? Perceptive.

"Oh, um, it's my favorite shirt so I'm wearing it two days in a row."

"Without washing it?" She asked and her nose twitched in almost disgust. It was honestly too cute to handle watching a mini-Santana question my adult decisions.

"I washed it last night when I got home," I answered without hesitation and it seemed we were in the clear as she accepted my response. By this time Niko had joined us and crashed his body into my legs in a greeting.

"Mommy, can we make french toast since Brittany is here?"

"Not today, baby. Brittany needs to get to work and you two monsters are going to be late to school as is."

"Fine," he huffed.

"If you guys are done eating, why don't you go upstairs and wash up. I'll be there in a minute." Being the well-behaved children that they were, they immediately took off up the stairs. Once they were out of sight, we both let out a breath we didn't realize we were holding and broke out into a fit of laughter.

"We were almost busted," she huffed between laughs. "Come on, let's get you outside before they terrorize us more."

"I'll see you in a bit," she whispered.

"Yeah, see you in a bit," I responded and met her waiting lips for one last kiss. This was by far the most interesting morning I had in a long time.

/

_Girlfriend. _Santana Lopez was my girlfriend. That fact played over and over in my head the entire drive home. _That _and the image of Santana coming undone under me, of course. I was distracted, in the best way possible, as I blindly put the key in the lock of Rachel's place.

"Well well well," Rachel said snapping me out of my daydream. The smug look on her face said it all and I knew I would be getting an earful. "Walk of shame?"

"Shut up," I mumbled feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"So?" She questioned.

"So, what?" I shot back. I was painfully aware of what Rachel wanted to know but I wasn't going to give in that easily.

"How was it?"

"How was what?" Yup, _definitely _wasn't going to make it easy.

"Oh, give it up, Britt. You went to Santana's for dinner last night and you're just coming home wearing the same clothes you were last night. I'm not an idiot."

"We just fell asleep," I shrugged trying to play it off but inside I was dying. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops that Santana Lopez was _my _girlfriend.

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days? Come on, Britt. Give me the juicy details!" She pleaded.

After quickly giving in to her incessant need to know about everything going on in my life, I quickly freshened up, changed and sped off to work. As I weaved in and out of the inevitable Friday morning LA rush hour traffic, Santana's words from yesterday popped in my head and I couldn't help but giggle at the reality of today's incident. I guess there were perks of dating the boss.

The day flew by as did most days at L & L Publishing as we were always busy with a project. Before heading home, I snuck into Santana's office where she had been tucked away for most of the day to give her a quick kiss goodbye especially because I knew I wouldn't be seeing her tonight.

"What time should we come over tomorrow?" She asked.

"I'm grabbing the keys at eight," I told her.

"So, nine?"

"Perfect," I winked at her before heading home.

Tonight was my last night with Rachel. After accepting Santana's offer for my job back, it was time to find my own place. It seemed the timing of everything was perfect, I had a job secured, a relationship that was blossoming each passing day, and in just a short two weeks, Sam would be back home for the summer. What better time to find a place of my own? After searching for the right area and the right price, I was able to find the perfect condo with enough space for an office and a bedroom for Sam. And what was even better, it was tucked perfectly between Rachel's and Santana's place, making the drive to either one an easy fifteen minutes and conveniently just as close to work.

Santana and the kids enthusiastically offered to help with the move and were just as excited for me about having my own space. Rachel, though happy for me, was also sad to see me go and truthfully, I was equally as sad to be separated from my best friend. Although it was less than a year that Rachel had taken me in at the lowest point of my adult life, it felt like much longer. Knowing my best friend was down the hall was comforting at a time I needed her most. But this move was just as important for Rachel as it was for me.

It represented growth for both of us and the day I signed the lease Rachel didn't hesitate to ask Lana to move in with her. I was happy for Rachel. It was the first time that I saw my best friend truly happy and the fact that she was ready to settle down was a surprise to all that knew her well.

Everything was packed and ready for the big move and so Rachel and I took the night to order take out and open a bottle of wine, spending the night on the couch laughing and reminiscing.

I was up early the next morning to leave enough time to pick up the keys from my new landlord and to grab coffee for myself, Rachel and Santana and two hot chocolates for my favorite munchkins. As I pulled up to Rachel's, the familiar black SUV was already parked downstairs as I watched Niko jump out of the car.

"Good timing," I greeted Santana handing off the warm cup. "Hot chocolate for you, sir," I said presenting him with his own cup. "And for you too, princess," I added when Gabbie came around the car onto the curb in front of the large building I had called home for almost a year.

"What do you guys say?"

"Thank you, Brittany!" They chimed simultaneously. They tended to do that a lot. It must've been a twin thing.

"You're welcome," I smiled happily. "Hey," I greeted Santana shyly and pictured myself greeting her with a kiss but settled for a friendly hug instead.

"Hey," she smiled back and we made our way upstairs to join Rachel who was waiting patiently to get the move started.

Once the introductions were complete, since Rachel was never formally introduced to the twins, we started moving boxes to our cars praying most of it could be done all in one trip. Moving was one of my most hated things but having my favorite people with me made it better.

After hours and hours of lifting and organizing, things were mostly settled. The new couch I ordered had conveniently been delivered an hour after we arrived and placed perfectly in the living room opposite the TV that was mounted on the wall. Along with the couch was the new bed I treated myself to and that was as well, set up in the main bedroom at the end of the long hallway. Enjoying the sectional couch, we were all tiredly sprawled out bodies exhausted from the heavy lifting. We were full after feasting on the greasy pizza I treated us to and now perfectly content on lying around watching TV. Rachel left shortly after leaving me alone with Santana and the kids.

"Brittany, is Rachel your bestest friend?" Gabbie asked from her spot on the couch.

"Yup," I answered quickly.

"Is mommy your best friend?" And this caught Santana's attention, her gaze drifting to mine in silence questioning. I immediately knew what she was thinking and shot her a warm smile encouraging her to do what she felt right.

"Actually," she jumped in. "There's something I want to talk to you guys about."

"Is this a grown-up talk?" Niko asked through a huff. I melted at the idea of Santana having big, serious conversations with them.

"Kind of," she said. "So, Brittany and I are dating," she said carefully waiting for the words to sink in.

"Dating," Gabbie stated.

"Brittany is my girlfriend," she added for clarification.

They both looked as if they were thinking about what their mother just said.

"Are you still my friend?" Niko asked me and I knew we had nothing to worry about.

"Of course, you and Gabbie are my bestest friends, too," I added with a big smile.

"Cool," Niko responded before they turned their attention back to the show that was playing on the screen.

I nudged Santana to break her out of her daze.

"Well, that was a lot easier than I thought," she said through a laugh.

"I don't blame them, I'm awesome," I joked.

"Shut up," she poked back.

"So, does this mean I can kiss you?" I whispered leaning in closer. Santana glanced toward the twins who were distracted by the movie and responded by leaning in and closing the gap. _Finally, _I thought to myself. I dreamt about those lips all day.

"Mommy, can we have a sleepover with Brittany?" Gabbie asked and Niko looked just as excited about the suggestion.

I looked to Santana for an answer when the small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth gave her away. "Hm, I guess if Brittany invites us to stay we have to say yes, right?" Suddenly all sets of eyes were on me.

"I think that is the best idea ever."

**THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO READ AND REVIEW. NO MATTER HOW LONG BETWEEN UPDATES, HEARING WHAT YOU ALL THINK KEEPS ME MOTIVATED TO WRITE EVERYDAY. HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY THE UPDATE :P**


	17. Introductions

**CHAPTER 17**

**INTRODUCTIONS**

_Santana POV_

Stressed. Stressed and anxious. That was currently my state of being.

I was stressed because I just got off a phone call with yet _another_ postponement for a release date of a series we were working on. But that sort of stress I was accustomed to dealing with. It wasn't new to me that my line of work was anything but easy. At least it was rewarding.

The anxiousness, on the other hand, I was _not _used to. And unfortunately even the busy and stressful environment of work wasn't enough to distract me from the anxious feeling that I was unable to shake all day. I glanced at the clock and knew in a few short hours I would be sitting at dinner meeting Brittany's daughter for the first time. I can't remember ever feeling so nervous about meeting someone in my life. But for some reason, Brittany's teenage daughter had my stomach tied up in knots. Obviously I wanted things to go smoothly and I absolutely wanted Sam to like me because being Brittany's girlfriend brought the utmost joy into my life and I, in no way, wanted it to end.

I was tucked away in my office for most of the afternoon, only seeing my assistant once to let me know about a conference call that was waiting for me. I hated busy days like this mostly because that left little time for me to find an excuse to be close to Brittany. Brittany, my beautiful and intelligent girlfriend, who _finally _agreed to come back to work. Logically, as her boss, I didn't need an excuse to see her or speak with her but we also made sure to draw clear lines of professionalism in the workplace. But Brittany being Brittany, she was just too cute to resist sometimes, like the way she would pull her reading glasses from atop her head down to rest on the bridge of her nose and lean forward on her desk, elbows firm against the flat surface, head hanging in her hands as she focused on reading or the way she would speak with the sweetest tone on the phone with potential clients. Basically everything she did was too much for me to handle and I often found myself gravitating toward her, even if for just a quick hello or exchanging of shy bashful smiles.

But not today, because today was busy and busy days were days with an evident lack of a certain blonde which would inevitably put me in a foul mood. Add on the anxiety that was becoming more evident as the hours passed, today was not my best day. There was nothing left to distract me from what was to come and so, I reluctantly and with shaky hands packed up for the day to head home. A knock on the door distracted me from zipping up my briefcase.

"Come in," I said granting access expecting only my assistant this late in the evening to ask if there was anything else I needed from her before she headed home for the day. Except it wasn't my assistant. No, instead it was the one person I wished to have seen, the one person, who might I add, left the office two hours ago to pick up Sam from the airport and was not expected to return to the office.

"Hey," she said softly slipping into my office.

"What are you doing here?" I asked still shocked to see her. It seemed like she floated to me like an angel and suddenly strong arms were wrapped around my waist and pulling my body close to press against hers.

"I dropped Sam at home and wanted to see you before dinner tonight to make sure you're okay. I know today was going to be a busy day at work for you and I _particularly_ know how nervous you are for tonight."

I was speechless. There was no way Brittany was real. I yet again had to mentally remind myself that it had been only two months of dating the perfect specimen that is Brittany Pierce but every day that I spent with her it became harder and harder to remember that it _had _only been that short of time because _god, _was she something special.

"You're something else, you know that?" And there it was, her smile that made me weak in the knees. It was soft and made me feel wanted and cared for.

"It's the least I could do for my girlfriend," she said. The title was new for us, only two short weeks and neither one of us had gotten used to it. We found any reason to say it, oftentimes using it more than our actual names.

"The _best _girlfriend," I added before leaning in for a much-needed kiss and just like that as our lips connected, all the worries and doubt I had drifted away little by little.

"Also, I really wanted to kiss you," she said with a smirk.

"Good, because I really wanted to kiss you, too," I flirted back. Yeah, we were _that _couple.

"Seriously though, you have nothing to worry about with Sam. You two are going to get along great, okay?"

"I know. I can't imagine _not _getting along with someone you raised but I'm still a little nervous."

"You have no reason to be. Plus, I'll be there holding your hand the entire time, promise. Come on. Let's get going. I need to get cute for my girlfriend and I know for a fact that there are two little munchkins waiting to see their mommy."

And she was right. The twins, as usual, were buzzing as they spoke over each other telling me stories about their day as I prepared dinner for them before I, myself, had to get ready for the big dinner. As usual, Gabbie watched from the stool next to me as I did my make-up while Niko hung out on the large rug in the middle of the bathroom playing some game or another on his iPad.

"What do you think, Gabbs?" I asked turning my head toward my daughter waiting for her generous critique of my make-up thus far.

"Pretty," she said with a smile.

"Should I add anything?"

"Mmm," she said staring between me and the different make-up items sprawled in front of me. "How about this. To match your shirt."

"You are so right," I shot her a wink before grabbing the red lipstick to match the red shirt I had chosen to accompany my black pencil skirt.

"Why can't we come with you?" Niko piped up from his spot not taking his eyes off the game.

"Honey, not tonight. It'll be boring adult stuff anyways."

"But we miss Brittany," he said, speaking for his sister as well who didn't seem to argue with the statement. "And we want to meet Sam," he huffed.

"You just saw Brittany yesterday," I reminded him. "Plus, she's bringing Sam to your soccer game on Saturday and then we're all going out to lunch, remember? It's a school night and you guys need to be in bed soon."

"Oh yeah! Can we get ice cream after, too?" I was happy to see that he moved on quickly.

"Sure, we can get ice cream too."

Once the babysitter showed up, I kissed my kid's goodnight and made my way to the restaurant we had decided on going to, insisting that I meet them there. I arrived earlier than we planned but didn't mind as I made my way in to let the hostess know of our reservation. It seemed Brittany was just as anxious because not two minutes later in came my _breathtaking _girlfriend, hair down and flowy, just the way I liked to see it in all its natural waves. And next to her was Sam, I assumed and honestly, it wasn't wrong of me to assume, minus the fact that they were walking next to each other. No, because Sam was almost a carbon copy of her mother, just younger and hair slightly darker than the older blonde.

"Hi, babe," she greeted me and I still wasn't used to hearing the term of endearment slip so effortlessly from her perfect lips.

"Hi," I smiled my nerves simmering only for a little by just being in her presence.

"Sam, this is Santana. Santana, my _not _so little daughter, Sam."

"Nice to finally meet you, Sam."

"Nice to meet you, too," she smiled sweetly. Our table was ready after the quick introductions. As much as I would have loved to order a glass of wine or something stronger like a martini to calm my nerves, I took Brittany's lead and ordered an iced tea after she ordered sparkling water. Our food order was also made before we got into any sort of conversation.

"So, Sam, your mom told me that you're going to NYU. How do you like it?"

"I love it. I wish I lived closer to mom but other than that I wouldn't change a thing."

As we ate, we continued to get to know each other and as time went on I couldn't for the life of me remember why I was so nervous to meet Sam. After all, there was no way that Brittany could raise a child that wasn't as sweet as herself.

"Niko was very unhappy that he was not invited tonight," I giggled.

"I'm surprised you didn't call me last minute to let me know they were tagging along. I know if it were me I wouldn't be able to say no."

"Trust me, I know how weak you are for them." I loved the relationship my kids had built with Brittany and although Sam was much older and only around for the summer, I could only hope that we would be able to establish a friendship over the next couple of months as much as Brittany had with the twins.

"I'm going to use the restroom," Brittany announced and suddenly the anxious feeling I had earlier at the office came flooding back. I was alone with Sam and though she proved to be sweet and open with our relationship, I couldn't help but feel nervous, desperately trying to seek her approval.

The silence was immediately broken the second Brittany was out of earshot, "So, you're the reason my mom is gay all of a sudden," she stated rather than questioned. _Did my ears hear correctly? _My greatest nightmare was coming true and my heart started pounding in my chest, so much so that I could've sworn I was on the verge of a heart attack.

"Uh, I...no...but she," I was rendered speechless. Brittany wouldn't be gone long and I needed to clear the air quickly. "We-," I tried again but nothing. My body was overheating and I felt weak before the sound of pure laughter snapped me from my panic.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said clutching her chest. "Oh man, your face. I'm sorry, Santana. I was just messing with you. I don't think you turned my mom gay," she was able to say through her laughing fit. "And for the record, I like you two together. She looks happy," she added shrugging finally calming down and wiping the tears that formed through her giggle fest.

"You almost gave me a heart attack, you know that?"

"I see that. I'm glad I didn't because my mom would probably kill me if I accidentally killed _you."_

"You're worse than my kids." I continued.

"Oh, come on. Lighten up! I'm sorry, truce?"

I stared at her hand that extended across the table and shook it. "Truce. No more of that, deal?"

"Deal," she smirked.

"What did I miss?" Brittany asked as she took her seat. "You okay, babe? You look a little pale," she asked gently caressing my cheek with concern. I glanced at Sam and could tell by the look she was shooting me that she would prefer I kept our little _talk _between us.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm okay. Just a little warm in here, don't you think?" I played it off and was met with a thankful smile. I think we were going to get along just fine.

"So, I get to meet your little monsters Saturday?"

"Yeah, they're so excited to meet you."

"We're going to Niko's soccer game, right?" Brittany asked.

"Yup. I'm sure I'm going to hear about it every day until Saturday. He already hasn't shut up about it."

Overall, the dinner went amazingly and by the end of the night, Sam and I were getting along great. Time flew by as we sat at our table exchanging stories and laughs and hardly noticed the time slip by us.

"Wow, it's getting late," I said once I realized it was almost eleven and I would need to get home to relieve the babysitter.

"Yeah, we should head home too. I'm sure you're tired, sweetie." Sam was quick to nod just now also realizing that she was still on New York time and was definitely in need of a good night's sleep. After our long goodbye's, one that included many, many kisses, we went our separate ways.

The next two days went by painfully slow, mainly because I wasn't able to see Brittany except for the short amount of time we passed each other in the office. And sure, maybe I was extra cranky for the lack of Brittany-time, but who could blame? She insisted we come over Friday night for dinner but between the twins and the fact that they were having dinner with Rachel, catching up for the first time since Sam had been home, I insisted Brittany enjoy this time with them.

"Mommy, is my jersey clean?" Niko asked the second we walked through the front doors.

"Of course, baby. Have I ever forgotten before?"

"No," he blushed before running toward the stairs.

"Wash your hands before you play!" I yelled behind him.

"Boys," Gabbie sighed before taking a seat on the barstool in the kitchen island. "What's for dinner, mommy?"

"Spaghetti and meatballs. Your brother insisted that I feed him pasta tonight so he can be ready for his game tomorrow."

"He's weird."

"You're both my little weirdos. How was school, baby?" I asked and listened to my daughter tell me in detail about her day as I moved around the kitchen prepping dinner.

After getting the meatballs in the oven to cook, I started on the pasta and sauce, chatting away with Gabbie while Niko came down only after claiming that he felt left out upstairs. Watching them laugh and smile melted my heart. It was only the three of us ever since Jenn left and I never imagined any of our hearts healing enough to let someone else in and then Brittany came into our lives like a hurricane and it was the most unexpected, yet pleasant storms that ever hit.

"Brittany is coming tomorrow, right mommy?" Niko asked as I filled his plate with the requested carb-heavy meal.

"Yes, Niko. Nothing's changed since the last time you asked," I teased him. At this point, he had asked the question at least ten times.

"And you're going to bring the extra chairs for them, right?" He continued ignoring the point I tried making to calm his obvious nerves. He was just so excited for someone other than me and his sister to be at the game and of course, it didn't hurt that the other person was Brittany.

"Already packed in the car. Niko, honey, chill. I got everything covered. You just focus on kicking butt tomorrow," I shot him a wink. "What about you, princess, any concerns for tomorrow?"

"No, I'm chill," she repeated my words sounding like such a grown-up prompting an eye roll from me.

"Good," I laughed at her as we focused on dinner. Of course, Niko weaseled ice cream out of me before we all piled on the large couch both kids tucked under my arms as we searched for a movie to watch. This was my favorite feeling in the world, after a long week of work to just curl up on the couch with the two most important people in my life. Of course, the calm only lasted so long and soon they were arguing about which movie to watch first. As I let them sort the issue out by themselves my phone buzzed indicating a text.

_From Brittany: I know it's movie night in the Lopez household but just wanted to tell you I missed you and can't wait to see you guys tomorrow _

And then there was Brittany because not once had I ever imagined wanting to add anyone to our Friday night routine, not since Jenn left. And yet just by reading one text and spending two beautiful months with the most amazing woman, I could suddenly see our little family growing and welcoming another person into our protected world.

"First, Gabbie's pick then Niko's," I quickly settled the debate. "Now, smile," I instructed as I turned the phone to take a picture of our little setup, a blanket thrown across our laps and ice cream bowls in hand.

_To Brittany: We miss you too (picture attachment)_

"What did you pick, Gabbs?"

"The Princess Bride," she smirked. Of course, why was I not surprised?

The morning came all too soon especially when Gabbie crawled into bed with me well before six am because of a nightmare she had. The warmth of my daughter immediately lulled me back to sleep which I welcomed easily knowing we wouldn't need to be up for another two hours.

"Mommy! Wake up or we're going to miss my game!" Niko shouted as he ran into my room and threw his body onto the bed.

"Niko, go away," Gabbie scowled from under the blankets where she had dug herself.

I glanced at the clock and based on the time, my daughter had every right to kick her brother out.

"Honey, it's early. Your game isn't until eleven."

"Yeah, but we need to eat breakfast and you need coffee and-"

"Hey, come here," I said gently. He was so excited he had worked himself up. The last thing we needed was him exerting all his energy _before _his game. Although, that was unlikely. The kid was filled with so much energy sometimes I wished I had even half of that. "One more hour of sleep and then I promise I'll make your favorite breakfast."

"Okay," he mumbled as he climbed into bed to join us.

/

"Hair up or down?" I asked Gabbie from the bathroom where I finished slicking Niko's hair back, per his request.

"Braids," she said instead. They were growing up so fast and developing their sense of style and look.

"You got it," I winked before going to work on a french braid down the middle.

"Mommy, I can't find my green socks!" I heard Niko yell from the room next door.

"Top drawer!"

"Boys," Gabbie mumbled again with a smirk.

The kids were finally dressed and ready to go as we loaded up the car. Niko checked and double-checked to make sure we had chairs for everyone and if I had the snacks packed for half-time since it was my turn to provide.

As we pulled up to the park that was filled with kids and parents alike, I noticed Niko's demeanor drastically change from the way it was at home. Whereas this morning he was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement, now he looked nervous and was significantly quieter.

"First game of the season. Excited?" I asked quietly enough for him to hear slouching down to his level.

"Yeah," he answered just as quietly.

"What's on your mind, baby?" I asked rubbing his arm in hopes of comforting him.

"What if I don't do good, mommy and Brittany thinks I'm not good and never comes to another game or doesn't want to hang out with us anymore?"

"Oh, honey," I said before scooping him into my arms. It broke my heart to hear the doubt and fear of abandonment in his voice. As fast as they seemed to be growing up, they were still my babies and I would do anything to take away any pain or self-doubt they ever had. "Look at me. Brittany is here because she knows how important this is to you. She doesn't care if you score ten goals or none at all. She's not going to stop wanting to see you guys because you didn't do well, okay? I promise." I held him tight before a voice broke us both out of our bubble.

"Mommy, I found Brittany," Gabbie chimed in as she pulled Brittany by her hand followed closely by Sam.

"Hey, buddy. You look awesome in your jersey," she said looking toward Niko with a warm smile. _How could a sweet person like Brittany ever hurt us, _I thought to myself. We were safe with her.

"You like it?" Niko asked tentatively as he moved away from me seemingly getting his confidence back.

"Love it. And can I tell you a secret? Ten is my favorite number," she winked and just like that Niko was bouncing up and down again. "Oh, Gabbie, Niko, this is my daughter Sam."

"Hey guys," Sam greeted them sweetly.

"We have matching hair," Gabbie beamed noticing immediately of the matching braid they both wore.

"We do. Did you braid it yourself?" Gabbie shook her head at the absurd idea that she would be able to braid her hair by herself. "Hmm, how about I teach you?"

Gabbie loved that idea and was suddenly running to hold Sam's hand.

"What position do you play?" She turned her attention to Niko and it was no surprise that Brittany's offspring was just as attentive as she was making sure to pay attention to both twins equally upon meeting them for the first time.

"Forward. I scored six goals last year!" He said proudly.

"So cool! I played forward too. But I don't think I was nearly as good as you. You'll have to teach me some moves later." By now both kids had a hold of Sam's hands as they walked ahead of us toward the field.

"Looks like you have some competition," I jokingly nudged Brittany on the shoulder as I handed her a couple of the chairs. "They love her already."

"I had no doubt that they would. Sam loves kids. She used to babysit the neighbors' kids during high school all the time," she said before turning to face me to greet me properly. "Hey, babe," she smiled and leaned in for a kiss. _Damn, I missed those lips, _I thought to myself as I indulged and deepened the kiss only for a minute.

"Better," I whispered against her lips. "Ready to watch a bunch of eight-year-olds chase a ball for an hour?"

"More than ready. Not my first rodeo," she winked before grabbing the cooler and taking off.

The game was a riot, as expected, and Gabbie chatted Sam's ear off the entire time much more entertained than she normally would be. Niko came running up to us the second the coach released them looking more relaxed than he did before the game.

"Mommy, did you see my tackle?" He asked holding the bag of snacks each kid received after the game.

"I did. It was awesome."

"Great game, little dude!" Sam said reaching her hand out for a high-five. "Definitely gonna need to show me that move you pulled." Niko was beaming at the idea.

"Can we get ice cream? Please!"

"How about lunch first, then ice cream."

And as promised after having a casual lunch, we went to the twin's favorite ice cream shop near our house. The weather was perfect allowing us to walk around and find a table to sit at while we ate.

"What's the plan for the rest of the day?" Sam asked.

"I didn't have anything in mind," Brittany said.

"Take these two home and just hang out, I guess," I added.

"Why don't I watch them later and you two can go out or something?" Sam shrugged and I was surprised at the offer. She just met my kids and I would expect someone her age who had just gotten back from college would want to spend her Saturday night a little differently.

"You sure?" I asked.

"What do you want?" Brittany chimed in sounding rather suspicious of the offer.

"Nothing," she said before continuing once she saw Brittany's narrowed eyes staring back at her. "I swear. I figured they're kind of cool plus I should get to know them if you guys are gonna date. And I'm sure you could use some time to yourselves. Might as well take advantage of me while I'm around this summer."

"You are seriously my favorite daughter ever."

"Considering I'm your only daughter, I'm insulted," she joked.

"Are you our new sister?" Gabbie asked grabbing our attention.

"Uh, not technically but how about best friends?" Sam said.

"Cool," Niko said sounding pleased with the title.

"What do you guys think about spending some time with Sam tonight?"

"Can she sleepover?" Gabbie was quick to ask.

"I'd love to," Sam answered before I could shut down the idea. It was nice enough of her to offer to watch them. I couldn't expect her to stay with them overnight.

"Sam, you don't have to."

"No, it's okay. The only thing I ask in return is that mom comes over in the morning and makes her famous grand slam breakfast for all of us," Sam said.

I looked toward Brittany who had a small smile on her face. "Have you been holding out on me, Pierce? Why haven't I had this _famous _grand slam yet?" I said in a whisper for her ears only.

"I'm usually distracted having another type of breakfast when I wake up next to you," she said, her voice filled with lust. "But if you play your cards right, I'll see what I can arrange for tomorrow." And just like that, I couldn't wait for tonight, an impromptu date night.

/

The plan was for Sam to drive over to my house to watch the twins while I went over to Brittany's for our date. I was giddy as I drove over to her house. In the last two months, we had spent a lot of time together but the alone time was not as frequent. Brittany understood and was always patient with me and my schedule, always offering to spend time at home with the kids around. I had no idea what was waiting for me as I made my way to Brittany's and frankly, I didn't care. As long as I got to spend time with her.

She asked me to come up first and so I stood outside waiting patiently for the door to open.

"Hi, babe," she greeted.

"Hi," I smiled immediately leaning in for a quick kiss but Brittany had other plans as her arm wrapped around my waist pulling me past the entrance of the front door and deepening the kiss. I moaned into the kiss as Brittany filled all my senses. "I'm putting the kids up for adoption."

And there it was, Brittany's laugh. One of my favorite sounds in the world. "And why is that?"

"Because I never get a hello kiss like that with them around."

She shook her head. "But you'd miss them too much. _I'd _miss them too much," she said as she leaned in again to leave feather light kisses against my jaw, trailing her lips to my neck. "But no kids tonight."

"No kids tonight," I repeated. "What are we going to do?"

"I can think of a few things we could do," she said suggestively and her tone sent a shiver down my spine. "But first, dinner." And then it hit me, the smell. I was so distracted by all things Brittany that I didn't register the smell wafting from the kitchen.

"It smells so good!" I complimented as I let the smell pull me toward the kitchen where all the magic was happening.

"Hope it tastes good, too."

"I'm sure it will."

"Wine?" She asked already reaching for two glasses knowing my answer.

"Please."

"That was delicious, Britt."

"Thank you. Glad you liked it."

It might have been something as simple as a home-cooked meal for me but the idea of Brittany moving around the kitchen to make this meal for us was special in itself. I hated myself at times that I compared her to my ex-wife but it was almost impossible not to. Sure, I had been in other relationships before my marriage but _that _one was the most serious. We took the next step and vowed to love each other in sickness and in health and yet it ended in disappointment and heartbreak. But looking back, Jenn hardly cooked for me, not that it meant she didn't love me but it was more than just cooking. The act of providing for the person you claimed to love was lacking in my marriage and I only now realized that fact. It was heightened now that I had Brittany who went out of her way to put a smile on my face, who made me feel wanted all the time. I was lucky to have Brittany in my life and instead of dwelling on everything I didn't have with Jenn, I shook the negative thoughts and enjoyed being in the presence of the blonde I got to call my own.

"Makes me even more excited to try this breakfast of yours," I added.

"How about dessert before breakfast?" And by her tone, I knew we were no longer talking about food. The heat between my legs was suddenly extremely evident. She stood up and grabbed our plates leaving me lost in thought, thoughts that I prayed would become a reality tonight. And then lips were attached to my neck as she stood behind me. "Hmm?" She hummed and only then was it obvious that I had stayed silent at her suggestion. With hooded eyes, I stood and turned to face the beautiful blonde, _my _beautiful and thoughtful girlfriend.

Instead of responding with words, I answered with a kiss, a kiss that from the outside appeared to be simple yet the spark that ignited when our lips touched was much more than just _simple. _When the sweet sound of a moan rang through my ears, I pulled away yet stayed close enough teasingly. "You were saying something about dessert?" I husked suggestively and that was all the answer Brittany needed as she lifted me into her arms, my legs wrapping around her waist immediately.

Sloppy kisses were exchanged as strong legs flawlessly carried my weight and moved us toward the bedroom. Clothes were discarded and thrown haphazardly around the room, for once not a single worry about tiny ears hearing the adult activities. It was different than every other time, not better, just different, animalistic, lustful. _Hot. _

The way Brittany scratched her nails against my back, the way she bit the skin on my neck before soothing the same spot with her tongue. It was hot and sexy and awoke something deep inside. The _need _to have Brittany at this very moment was overwhelming.

So overwhelming that even with the amazing feeling of Brittany touching and kissing every inch of my bare body, I mustered up enough energy to flip us so that I was the one teasing every part of her. From the valley between her breasts all the way down to her heated center. Brittany's taste against my tongue created more heat to course through my body and watching her moan and whimper and beg for more as I pumped my fingers without faltering almost brought me to my own climax. But I stayed focused, focused on bringing the best pleasure to my girlfriend as my eyes stayed glued to her to watch her break under my touch. It was breathtaking every time and tonight was no different.

Kisses became lazy as we wrapped ourselves around each other, limbs tangled so much that it was difficult to see where one body started and the other ended. And only minutes after catching our breath was she returning the favor. It wasn't until hours passed that we finally stayed in each other's arms, sweat mixing and sheets barely covering our bare bodies. We started playing twenty questions that at this point had far surpassed the number.

"Favorite memory," she said. I thought carefully about my life and knew my answer almost immediately.

"The day the twins were born," I hummed against her chest where I had settled in to. "I had dreamt about them for so long and the second they were put into my arms it's like my world stopped."

"I know the feeling," she said warmly. "Sam was and is my biggest blessing."

"We have great kids, don't we?"

"The best," she added sealing it with a warm kiss against my head.

"We should try and get some sleep."

"Yeah, you're right. You've worn me out and if I'm going to deliver tomorrow with my famous breakfast, I'm going to need all the energy I can get." I giggled lazily in her arms.

"Goodnight, Britt."

"Goodnight, baby."

We drifted to sleep, taking comfort in each other's arms. If only every night could be spent like this, I would be the happiest person in the world.

**Happy Friday! **

**The twins finally meet Sam and Santana and Brittany have some alone time together! Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. As always, don't forget to follow along and review! :P**


	18. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?

**CHAPTER 18**

**GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER**

"Sam," I said knocking on my daughter's door, "honey, you awake?"

"Yeah, be out in a second," she answered behind the closed door.

I was just sending a text to Santana to let her know that I would be on my way soon when Sam came out of her room. "Hey, mom."

"Morning, baby. What's your plan today?"

"I'm getting lunch with Tim and Stacy and then just hang out at home, probably start packing."

"I can't believe you leave soon. Summer went by too fast."

Time, in general, was flying by. It was August, almost a year after my divorce and so much had happened in my life. Sure there were some low points but I couldn't be happier than I was at that very moment.

My daughter was home for the summer, Santana was officially my girlfriend for five months and the twins were still cute and loving as ever. Yeah, life was great.

"I know. But I'll be back for Christmas," Sam said.

"Good. Love you," I said pulling her into a quick hug.

"Love you too, mom."

My phone buzzed from my pocket and I assumed it was Santana but was surprised to see Rachel's name flash across my screen.

"Hey, Rach. Everything okay?"

"_Yes, can't I call my best friend to see how she's doing?" _

"You could but it's Saturday."

"_So?" _

"It's also nine in the morning."

"_And?"_

"Well, I know for a fact that Lana isn't working this weekend because you told me a million times over drinks last night. And I also know that on Saturdays where you both are home you don't leave the bedroom till at least noon."

"_Damn, you're perceptive." _

"Yeah, so what's up?"

"_Lana's firm just brought on a new partner and I guess they got to talking and Lana invited her over for dinner. She asked if you and Santana would join us."_

"I could ask Santana. When?"

"_Next Sunday."_

"I don't see why not. But let me ask her to make sure. You guys are coming to the twin's birthday party next weekend, right?"

"_Of course, we wouldn't miss it."_

After catching up with Rachel I jumped into my car and made my way to the Lopez household. I parked my car in the driveway as I had several times over the last few months. Especially with Sam home for the summer, we found ourselves spending more time at Santana's than at our own place.

After knocking on the door, I was surprised when someone much shorter than my girlfriend answered the door.

"Brittany!" Niko's screamed before crashing into my legs.

"Hey, kiddo, where's your mom?"

"Niko! What did I say about answering the door without me." Santana came storming around the corner, Gabbie hot on her heels as I tried to hide my laugh when I heard her quietly mumble "boys," under her breath.

"Sorry," he said hanging his head down for being scolded.

"Hey, look at me, baby. I'm not mad, I just worry, okay? If anything happened to you or your sister, my heart would break into a million pieces."

He seemed to understand the seriousness of his actions before apologizing again.

"Hi, Brittany," Gabbie greeted sweetly before giving me a tight hug.

"How are my favorite twins? Excited about your party?"

And the answer was yes as both of them started speaking over each other to tell me every detail Santana had planned for them. Soon after they ran off to busy themselves with something leaving Santana and me alone for the first time since stepping into the house.

"Hey, babe," I said sweetly leaning in to finally kiss my girlfriend but the kiss never came. I opened my eyes to find a frantic Santana, one I had not experienced before.

"Brittany, there is so much to do! And the kids, they're driving me insane today. I've told Niko a hundred times to pick up his soccer crap from the living room and Gabbie kept asking me if Sam was coming over with you. I'm going to lose it."

"Woah, slow down there, tiger. This must be serious," I smirked which was met with a glare.

"Oh, is it serious? And what made you think that?"

"Well, first of all, you called me Brittany and you haven't called me Brittany outside of the office in like forever," I started to say as I moved closer to her slowly wrapping my arm around her waist. "I like Britt," I said feeling her start to relax in my arms, "or babe," I continued leaning down to press a soft kiss against her neck, "or baby," and another kiss against her jaw, "but not Brittany." I chanced a glance at her and knew it was working as her eyes softened. "Second of all, you still haven't kissed me which is just unacceptable in my book," I continued teasing her.

I finally had her attention. "You're right," she said and immediately closed the gap sighing into the kiss.

"Should I call Sam to take the twins for a little? So you can focus on the party?"

"No, it's okay. Now that you're here maybe they'll calm down," she said as I followed her into the kitchen where the island counter was covered with party planning stuff, things like different themed plates and napkins and print outs of decorations.

For the next hour, I listened to Santana go through everything that was planned for the following weekend. Of course, knowing my girlfriend I was not shocked to find that she had things planned perfectly not wanting anything to go wrong, especially when there would be over thirty people in her house, not to mention half of those being young kids running around.

"Babe, I don't know why you're freaking out. Everything sounds great to me."

"Yeah, it all sounds great. But there's just so much to do the day of."

"Okay, like what?" I asked and that sent Santana flying off the rails again.

"Well, for starters, the cake. The bakery where I had the cake custom made doesn't do home deliveries and it's on the other side of town. The balloons need to be picked up first thing in the morning so that I have enough time to put them around the house and backyard, the caterer is dropping the food off literally an hour before guests arrive, meaning I have an hour to get it all plated and ready, oh and how could I forget our precious guests of honor, who need to be tamed, bathed and dressed without getting their outfits dirty before everyone arrives. Let's see, did I miss anything?"

I shook my head trying my best to hide my giggle. The last thing I needed was Santana to completely lose it because she thought I was laughing _at _her. She was usually so composed even in the most stressful situations that work would throw at her but not here, not now when it came to planning the most perfect ninth birthday party for her kids. And I found the entire situation the most adorable thing ever.

"Why don't I get the balloons in the morning, drop them off and then go pick up the cake?" I suggested simply.

"No, I can't ask you to do that," she was quick to shake her head her eyes still focused on the on-going to-do list she had in front of her.

"You're not asking," I said before spinning her around in the stool she sat at to face me. I slipped between her legs and wrapped my arms around her neck. "I'm offering. Let me help, please." I leaned down and sealed my offer with a kiss, a kiss that quickly turned into something much more than I intended.

"Mm," she sighed as we parted eyes still blissfully closed, "God, I love you."

The second the words slipped from her plump lips, the world stopped. And she caught on, her eyes shooting open and staring into mine with what I think was panic.

"Oh, uh, I mean," she started stumbling over her words, "I- _shit, _Britt, I-"

"I love you, too," I blurted and suddenly felt like I was on top of the world. Because I, Brittany Pierce, was completely in love with Santana Lopez. I knew the feelings I had were strong and I knew from the second we met that she was going to be a very special person in my life but the realization of love hit me full force the second I heard her angelic voice speak those three simple words.

"You do?" She asked shyly as if doubting the fact that I could love her back. And that was ridiculous. Of course, I could and I _did. _How could I possibly not? She was beyond gorgeous, intelligent, caring and had the softest heart in the world. She had so much love for her children and was always so patient and accepting of me and everything that was messy in my life. She was the most perfect human being in the world, _to me_, at least.

"I do," I spoke quietly my voice filled with confidence, "I love everything about you, Santana." I could have sworn I saw a small tear threaten to escape her big, beautiful brown eyes but the moment was interrupted when Gabbie came running into the kitchen.

"Mommy, we're hungry," she said and just like that real life was waiting but I wouldn't change a thing because my love for my girlfriend included love for her kids and everything else that came with Santana.

/

"I love you," she spoke against my lips with her sultry voice. Her bare body was nestled against mine after spending the last two hours showing each other physically just how much we loved each other. It was late especially because the kids insisted we watch Star Wars for the fifth time that month. Not able to resist the request, we piled on the couch after making some popcorn. Gabbie made it a point to invite Sam over but she was spending the night at a friend's and promised to come over before she left for school to have a movie night with them.

"I love you, too," I replied and sealed it with a kiss. We laid in blissful silence as my hand traced patterns into her back. "We have a busy week ahead of us, you ready?" I felt her sigh against my chest.

"Do we have to? Can't we just like, hide in my room for the rest of the month?"

"But then who would applaud the loudest after Gabbie kicks ass at her piano recital? Or make sure that _everything _you've planned for the most awesome party in the world is up to your standards?"

"They do have grandparents," she joked.

"That's true. Plus they're almost nine, they're old enough to take care of themselves, right?"

"Totally," she giggled.

"Oh, by the way, Rachel called me earlier. She wanted to see if we were available for dinner on Sunday. I guess Lana's firm hired on a new partner and they invited her over."

"Sure," she said easily.

"I know it's kind of last-minute but Sam could watch the twins if your parents are busy."

"Sounds good, baby," she hummed and I could tell by her voice that she was close to falling asleep.

"Goodnight, San," I whispered quietly and when I didn't get a response and felt her breathing even out, I knew she was a goner for the night. Kissing her softly against her forehead I joined her in a peaceful sleep.

And Santana was right. The week was crazy busy between work meetings and things planned with the kids and Sam and all before the birthday party on the weekend. But like always, we powered through.

"Hey, San, I'm taking off," I said as I popped my head into her office. It was a little after five on Thursday afternoon.

"Okay, I need to head out too and get the kids ready. You have the address?" She asked about the small hall that would be hosting Gabbie's end of summer piano recital.

"Yup. I have the address. Sam and I will be there at six-thirty," I said and gave her a quick kiss before heading out the door.

Sam and I easily spotted Santana and Niko sitting in the front row saving two seats next to them.

"Hey, little dude," Sam greeted Niko with a high five and took the seat next to him as I found my place next to Santana. All the students were seated on the other side of us in the front row as each one stood up to play their memorized pieces. Gabbie was quick to spot us and waved excitedly in our direction.

"She ready?" I quietly asked Santana.

"Yeah. She's excited that you and Sam are here, too." I smiled and took her hand that was resting in her lap in mine. Soon after everyone in the audience was settled the instructor stood in the front to welcome us all and introduced the first student who took their seat at the piano.

Gabbie was the fourth student to perform and gracefully walked to the piano taking a bow before walking around the bench and taking a seat. She took a deep breath and steadied her fingers above the keys before beginning her first piece. It was a classical piece and beautifully performed. She was extremely talented for being so young but that didn't surprise me because Santana was also quite the pianist in her day and no doubt passed it on to her daughter. Her second piece was much more upbeat and the audience seemed to enjoy it as did I. Even Niko seemed to be completely entranced by his sisters' talent. When she was done, I watched her once again gracefully stand and take a bow accepting the applause before taking her seat to watch the remaining of the recital.

"You were amazing, baby!" Santana said as soon as the recital was over and Gabbie came running into her arms.

"Thanks, mommy. I messed up that one part though," she started to say but Santana was quick to cut her off.

"No one noticed, I promise."

Gabbie was a little perfectionist like Santana and sometimes doubted her performance but her advanced skill was undeniable. We went to a nearby restaurant and enjoyed a nice meal, as a family.

_Family_, it was amazing how quickly we fell into a comfortable routine with each other. Even with Sam, who only knew Santana and the kids for a couple of months. Looking around the dinner table, watching Sam converse and joke with Gabbie and Niko, seeing Santana's content smile on her face, it made my heart swell. This was my family now and I had every urge to protect them with my life.

/

Saturday morning, after picking up the balloons as promised, I made my way to Santana's, completely prepared to handle one of many meltdowns that were bound to happen. My girlfriend was going to be a stress case the entire day if our morning phone call was any indication.

I noticed the front door was open as I parked my car in the driveway.

"Baby?" I said loudly to not startle anyone by just walking inside but there was no answer. "Hello?" I tried again and was greeted by the twins.

"Brittany! Are those our balloons?" Gabbie asked as she looked at the bundle of balloons in my hand. There was a mix of colored balloons and Star Wars-themed balloons, which was a new favorite of both the kids recently.

"Yup! What do you think, like them?"

"They're awesome!" She said.

"Where's your mom?"

"Backyard," Niko said before grabbing the balloons from my hand to take them to her.

As soon as I walked outside, I was shocked to see the transformation the gorgeous and spacious backyard had taken. To the right on the large grassy area, a bounce house was set up alongside a snow cone machine. The pool was covered, for safety, and surrounded by different Star Wars figurines, the back wall was lined with the coolest decorations and the table where the food would be set up was covered in the same themed table cloth with a punch bowl set up at the corner.

"San?" I called to grab her attention.

"Oh, hey, babe. Did you just get here?" She asked as she skipped toward me. Her forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat and her hair was up in a messy bun. She wore the cutest jean shorts that were just short enough for me to admire her tanned smooth legs and a tank top that hugged her curves perfectly. I was distracted by her appearance and didn't hear a word that came out of her mouth. "Babe?" She said through a smirk. "You're drooling," she winked as she poked my chin that I was embarrassed to admit had dropped open at the sight of her.

"Shut up," I said. "Hi. And yes, I just got here to deliver the balloons, as promised," I added leaning in for a kiss.

"You are the best!"

"Everything looks amazing, San."

"Yeah? It's not too much?"

"No, are you kidding? This is awesome. So, what else can I do? I have an hour until I have to leave to get the cake."

Santana and I worked flawlessly together as we finished preparing the backyard. After going to pick up the cake, I ran home to get ready and grab Sam before heading back just in time to help with finishing touches before the guests arrived. And soon we were fully enveloped in the party. Looking around, it seemed to be going smoothly. The kids were thoroughly enjoying the bounce house and snow cone machine as the adults mingled with each other while sipping on margaritas.

"Hey, San, how you doing?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen to check up on my girlfriend.

"Good. I just wanted to refill the chips."

"Mm," I hummed as I slipped behind her pushing my body flush against hers and wrapped my arms around her waist. She immediately melted into my touch as I lowered a kiss to her shoulder. "How important are the chips?" I mumbled against her skin. I spun her in my arms enjoying this rare quiet moment alone shooting her a mischievous smile. Before she could question my intentions, I leaned in to capture those luscious lips I loved so much.

"The kids are going home with my parents tonight," she husked against my lips.

"Have I mentioned how much I love your parents?" And it was true for so many more reasons than just giving us a night to ourselves. The first time I met them I was so nervous I almost threw up in the car on the drive to Santana's house even with Santana insisting that I had nothing to worry about. But meeting parents and getting their approval was important especially her parents. Santana had been through so much in the past and I had no doubt that her parents would be overly cautious about anyone she would date especially because the twins were involved. But her parents were lovely and even though they never asked, I assured them both that I would protect Santana's heart with my life and would never do anything to intentionally hurt her or the kids. They seemed to hear the genuineness of my statement and since then we grew close, often having dinner at their house after work before taking the twins back to Santana's. They were even able to meet Sam and treat her like their own granddaughter. Like I said, _family. _

"So, just you and me tonight but for now, I need to get these chips out there and we need to get the cake prepared." With one final kiss, I followed Santana back outside where the party never stopped.

The rest of the party went off without a hitch and soon Santana and I were all alone in her big house, decorations still intact. After cleaning up as best as we could for the night we melted into the couch exhausted from the day's activities.

"I'm beat," she sighed as I threw my arm around her shoulder feeling her melt further into me.

"Me too. I could sleep and it's only," I said before leaning up as much as I could to glance at the time, "eight o'clock."

"How lame would we be if we went to bed now?"

"Not lame at all. We could put a show on and just enjoy the quietness," I suggested.

"Best suggestion," she said leaning in for a lazy kiss before pulling me off the couch.

I freshened up in the bathroom before slipping into shorts and a tank top for bed to join her again in the bedroom but instead of finding her in bed waiting for me, she stood at her dresser as she stared at something in her hand. She didn't hear me as I walked slowly toward her.

"You okay?" I asked and it startled her as she jumped slightly.

"Uh, yeah," she said hesitantly and not at all convincing. I looked down to see her holding a birthday card and I couldn't imagine how that could upset her but regardless, she was definitely bothered by it.

"You sure?" I asked again not wanting to push her. Without answering my question she handed the card to me and still slightly confused I opened it and read it through. At first, it seemed like a harmless sweet birthday card for the twins, maybe from a family member but the more I read, the more clear it became and by the time I got to the signature to see who it was from, I knew. This was from Jenn, Santana's ex-wife.

"The nerve," she mumbled.

"Is this the first time you've heard from her?"

There was still so much I didn't know about Jenn and I never asked because it wasn't my place to pry. I always figured that Santana would tell me when and if she was ready because truthfully her past did not stand in the way of the future I saw for myself with Santana.

"Yes, she didn't send shit last year for their birthday," she said sounding angry, rightfully so.

"It's not really any of my business but what exactly happened after she left?"

She was quick to turn to me and took my hands in hers, tossing the card to the side. "You're my girlfriend, Britt and I love you, so much. There's nothing that I want to hide from you," she said taking a deep breath. "After she left, I immediately contacted a lawyer. I knew that because she was a lawyer she would be able to protect herself and already knew everything from the legal side. I served her with divorce papers immediately but what shocked me, and it really shouldn't have, seeing as she up and left us, was that she signed off all her rights as the twin's other mother."

That made my blood boil. Even if I didn't know how sweet Gabbie and Niko were, it was still sickening to me to think about how a mother could walk away from her kids without thinking twice.

"That made everything so clear to me, she never loved them, she never loved us. And that was it, I gave her everything she wanted. Which was nothing, she wanted nothing from us, Britt. But of course, now, she decides to send the kids a card and for what? Niko and Gabbie still ask about her and it kills me that they hesitate each time knowing that it brings tears to my eyes thinking about her and what she did to our family but mostly how she broke the kid's hearts into pieces."

"Santana," I said making sure she was paying full attention to me because I needed her to hear me, I needed her to believe every word I was about to say, "I'm so sorry that you went through this. There is nothing I wish more to take that pain away from you and the kids but I also want to let you know that I promise to never hurt you the way she did. You deserve the world, Santana and I plan on giving you all of me for as long as you'll have me."

Her big brown eyes now rimmed with redness from the tears that were dying to be released stared into mine. "I love you, Brittany. I know we haven't been together very long but you already bring me so much more love and happiness than she ever could. I just," she said before sighing, "thank you. For loving me, for loving the kids. For opening up your world for us to fit in."

"Don't thank me, baby. It's what we both deserve."

That night, Santana and I held each other tight as we slept, waking up in the same position wrapped in each other's arms. After having a quick breakfast together, I went home to spend some quality time with Sam. She was leaving for college again in a few days and I already missed her so much. We spent the afternoon shopping for last-minute things she needed and enjoyed a nice outdoor lunch together before heading back home. After getting ready for our evening with Rachel and Lana, Sam and I made our way to Santana's. Sam, as promised, volunteered to watch the munchkins while Santana and I were out.

We stopped by the local bakery to pick up pastries to take with us.

"We come with gifts," I joked handing her the box of pastries once Rachel opened the door to greet us.

"Thanks, guys. You didn't have to. Come in! Lana just opened a bottle of red I think you'll love," she said giving us each a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Smells amazing in here," Santana commented as she walked around the island to greet Lana.

"Right? She's an amazing cook," Rachel said proudly of her girlfriend.

"Lucky for you or you'd starve," I joked.

Rachel poured us each a glass as we continued to chat about life when the door rang.

"I'll get it," Lana said. She greeted her new co-worker as our attention was turned back to Rachel.

Once Lana walked back into the kitchen with their guest, things went blurry as time slowed down.

"Guys, this is our firm's new partner-"

"Jenn," Santana finished cutting Lana off. I looked between the woman standing next to Lana and my girlfriend who was frozen in her spot to my right. Her face was as pale as a ghost, eyes wide in shock at seeing her ex-wife standing in front of her.

"Holy shit," I whispered in shock and Rachel gave me the same look, knowing exactly who Jenn was. This was going to be a long night.

**Sorry for the cliffhanger!**

**Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I can't wait to hear what you all think. ALSO, I'm working on a new story that I'm really excited about. I have some cool things planned so if you are interested, don't forget to follow me on tumblr for updates and sneak peeks (Jagwriter09) :P**


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